Unknowing
by armrest
Summary: He had hurt her before, told her she wouldnt be anything to him, but when she came back she became unknowingly his everything, but could she admit to him she made a deal with the devil to have him again? TrunksXPan some GotenXBura


Pan let her eyes open and slowly raised herself up out of the bed with a light moan before she rolled out of bed and walked into her bathroom. She found her makeup still on and sighed, "Damn...Bura and that waterproof shit," she groused before she ran a brush through her mane of hair finding it still wavy and finally brushed her teeth. She moaned once more, she promised herself right then and there that she wouldn't stay up sp late while knowing she had to get up so early for work.

She took another look at herself in the mirror and found herself looking rather sultry before she tilted her head and turned away, there was no time for a shower today. Thank god for once she didn't have to go through the tasking and time consuming event of placing make up on.

She walked into her closet and pulled a black pencil skirted dress off a hanger and laid it upon her bed as she went back for a pair of matching shoes. She stretched as she walked and found a cute pair of leopard print peep toe heels given to her from Bura one Christmas ago. She tossed them to the end of the bed before finally pulling her pajamas off and slipping into the dress. She looked at herself in the far mirror and nodded, "You clean up pretty well old girl," she observed before slipping on the shoes and catching her purse upon one arm.

A black purse, she thought, matches almost anything. She laughed at herself then knowing she'd been in the designing world for too long and knew that if the money wasn't keeping her the clothes were. She had never grown up wanting clothes or enjoying being in a dress, but once she found out she could get things without doing a thing and merely being nice or working for it she enjoyed being able to dress like a woman. She walked out of her apartment and locked up before walking downstairs and to her car.

Another day at the office was in front of her, but she had no idea what was in store for her as she exited her lakeside apartment and began a new day.

Trunks grumbled as he walked down the hallway to his mother's office and knew what was coming. He opened the door and stepped inside before his anger sharpened at the sight of Marron standing over his mother's desk with a rather angered tone in her voice.

"Bulma I struggled to get where I am and now you want some average girl to take my place on the CC's October cover?!" she demanded and Bulma felt her snappy-self bite her in the ass to say something back to the ignorant girl in front of her. "You didn't work with an ounce of your life, just like I didn't, I'm placing her on the cover for this month to get her publicity and you'll be back on it in November, if you don't like it quit, I could care less." Marron gaped at her like a cod fish wanting food."How can you say that to me?" she asked astonished. "I can say that because there are hundreds of girls who would enjoy having your job and the only reason why you're there is because of your engagement to Trunks and that your father is a good friend, don't think I like you."

Trunks stood back and as his mother's eyes fell upon him she smiled, "Sweetheart I'm glad you joined us, Pan should be here soon," she announced and he eyed her, "What are you talking about?" Bulma held up a draft of the CCs next magazine coming out next month, "We're interviewing pan and putting her on the cover, what do you think?" His jaw hung open, "Wha-What are you thinking?!" he exclaimed, "Pan? On the cover? That's crazy; she doesn't even look like a girl."

"Exactly!" Marron added, "What do you think we are idiots? If we put a woman like that on the cover we'll lose so many customers!" Trunks growled and Bulma arched a brow as the door opened and closed all the while Trunks and Marron continued their banter."She's a tomboy and completely unknowing to the designing world, fashion or mechanic you know that!"

"I wouldn't be too sure," Bulma murmured as she leaned over and her smile broadened, "Pan."

"Yes Mrs. Briefs?"

The announcement of a new visitor became known and all eyes went to the owner of the female voice. Trunks felt his jaw drop open at the sight of a well dressed Son Pan, in a rather formfitting dress. The high waist accented her full breasts while the pinched skirting tucked her knees in giving her a prefect hourglass shape. A shape that neither Marron nor Trunks believed even existed on her. The last he'd seen her in a dress though, she'd just graduated from high school and wasn't quite fully developed because of her age. With only being fifteen when they returned to Earth and finishing her schooling and going onto high school without a second thought she easily graduated ahead of her class at the age of a ripe sixteen year old.

He remembered when she turned twenty and everything changed in her, her hair became permed with a soft wave and Bura had gotten a tight hold on her face. And then at that time he had finally looked at her when she'd begun growing out, but now she was a full woman he never thought would look like now. In the past she had been a growing child in his eyes until she kissed him, proving him dead wrong and in the end it was her who walked away from him and grew up finding that love was did not exist in his world of class and business.

"What was it that you wished to speak about?" she asked as she walked to them with a rather annoyed look in her eyes. Bulma arched a brow and smiled, "You're new to the industry and I want to show you off." Pans eyes widened before suddenly she laughed, "I did not believe Paulo when he said he'd be shooting me sometime soon," she stated and Bulma pouted. "He already told you?" Pan shook her head, "Never, just told me he'd be shooting me soon."

Trunks and Marron gaped at Pan while Bulma eyed them smirking to herself, "Pan here finished her schooling in Europe, you remember that now I suppose?" she pondered and Marron shook her head, "When did you have the time to go to school out there?" Trunks asked, "Where'd you get the money to do that?" Marron added and Pan merely smiled sweetly and answered with an unwavering voice as she replied, "I was sponsored by the CC, because of my academic and economic achievements." Marron scoffed, "What academic achievements? if I recall you barely placed in top quartile," she snipped, "I graduated in the top ten percent of my school," Pan corrected before she turned her beckon Marron, "But your opinion does not matter," she added. Marron took a brave step forward and as she gasped began to say, "What is that supposed to-"

"Pan I want you to be at the warehouse tomorrow morning 8 o'clock," Bulma stated and Pan stiffened before she nodded, "I'll do my best," she promised and Bulma arched a brow, "Will there be anything preventing that?" Bulma looked at her and Pan merely nodded, "I have business to take care of." And then Bulma nodded, "I see, then go ahead and make it 10, I'll have Paulo noted."

Pan nodded, "Will that be all for you today ma'am?" Bulma nodded, "Yes, go ahead and get out." Pan disappeared out of the office and Marron felt her anger rise, "What are you thinking Bulma?!" she hissed as soon as the door slipped shut, Bulma shook her head, "I don't know, but she needs a chance," she reasoned, "Now get out of here before I fire you," she threatened monotonically.

Marron scurried out without another word and Trunks watched as his mother walked to a window and sighed, "She's grown older Trunks," she murmured and he felt his cold heart not shed a single emotion, "So? She's still the little brat I left broken," he growled unemotionally and Bulma sighed once more before she shook her head and shrugged, "If that is how you're going to behave I need you to stay out of this equation because with your input she won't go on."

"Pan knows her boundaries, she knows I'm with Marron, end of story and there's nothing else that's going to stand in the way of us tying up with the Americans," he growled, "Does she know you and Marron aren't really an item? That it's for the Americans coming into the business, to prove that we aren't savages?" He shook his head, "Pan needs to remain as she is, simple and spritely." And she nodded, "She'll find out sooner or later, good luck then."

And he finally turned away and left the office walking out into the hallway. He went still seeing Marron caging Pan to a wall and threatening her. Pan merely stood there and took Marron's harsh words until Marron said one thing, "You'll never amount to anything in this world, so you're sorry little ass needs to go back to your little toys and stay out of my way."

Pan opened her mouth to speak and Trunks felt his heart stop, Pan always knew what to say to get under someone's skin, "You're just prissy cause Bulma wants someone new, who's young and fresh and doesn't need a truckload of make up to cover up her flaws," she spat right back. Marron gasped and threw her hand up in the air and her hand went flying down. Trunks darted over to her, caught her wrist in a vice-like grip and eyed her, "Don't," was all he said and she ripped away from him and took one last look at the both of them before she whipped away and walked off.

He went to look back at Pan her eyes met his for a moment before she walked off in silent, "No thank you for your hero?" he catcalled. Something he shouldn't be doing. She didn't look back at him as she walked away."I could handle her myself, you knew that, plus I never asked for your help," she said over her shoulder. His jaw fell open. She's so cold, he thought. And as she flicked her hair over her shoulder he knew then she wanted nothing to do with him. And then quite suddenly his eyes became 

alert and he saw what no one else did, as her hair floated back down, a small tattoo of a star revealed itself from behind her ear.

So he followed after her, when he caught up with her, she was alone in the elevator and had just turned around, her eyes went wide at the sight of him coming and she didn't have the arrogance to close the doors before he got there and as he stepped into the shaft he smacked his hand into the button forcing the doors shut before anyone else could join them.

She was shocked that he would follow her, more so she was curious as to why he would. He eyed her as they began moving down and she remained silent, "Why would a priss pot like you have a tattoo?" he asked suddenly and she merely arched arrow, "Why would a party animal like you waste time getting married now?" she retorted smartly and rather calmly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked with a spark of anger in his eyes, she only laughed at him, "You're acting like a child Trunks, following me around and asking a question you supposed that would get under my skin, if you really want to speak to me about how long it's been since we last spoke maybe you should step back and ask a different question before I force your foot in your mouth again," she reasoned.

And then the doors slid back open and she walked out. She was gone once more, and he whipped around, "What about a date?" he offered and she went dead still as she faced him, "You're engaged to Marron, and I don't date within the workforce," she hissed, disgusted with him. Her face was an entire expression of disgust and he visibly winced, "I hadn't meant-"

"I don't care Mr. Briefs." HIs jaw fell open and then he arched a brow before he slapped his hand up against the closing doors, "Then I require as a work study to go out with me for dinner," he called and then her co-workers began staring. She tilted her head to the side and merely began walking away, "I'll fire you!" he called and she flipped him off, "You're not my boss, I'm only here on business," she called over her shoulder.

He sighed and laughed in spite of himself. He let the door shut, pressed a button and leaned against the wall. She'd definitely been prepared for him to act that way or...or other men had acted that way towards her. He felt his chest tighten then scolded himself for thinking other men would be attracted to Pan in any manner, but with the way she held herself and poised herself with dominance proved 

to rather alluring. He looked at his watch and frowned, already five, he needed to go to the stupid counselor to meet with Marron about their soon to be ceremony of marriage.

Trunks walked out of the counseling office grumbling and Marron stroked his back, "You okay sweetheart?" she asked and he moved away from her, "I'm fine, don't touch me." How had he'd gotten himself into this mess? He walked away from her and she pouted, "But we're supposed to go out for dinner tonight!" she called and he shook his head, "That was yesterday after you stood me up, tonight is Goten's birthday and you're not invited," he growled.

He walked to an elevator and noticed then he's spent a bit of time in elevators today and as he pressed a button and watched the doors slide shut he saw the saddened face of Marron and knew then he'd gotten his point across. He shouldn't have allowed her expression to harm him, but he had actually looked forward to seeing her yesterday night for dinner, it's been a long day and he wanted someone's, anyone's company and yet she'd stood him up for an American Designer. So he'd told her off, big deal, she would whine about it next week to their counselor and he sighed shaking his head.

"I'm too old to be getting married now," he complained. And then his thoughts went back to Pan. How had she so suddenly come back into his life and this horrible time? Why was he thinking of her when he truly needed to be thinking of his and Marron's marriage?

He groaned lightly as the setting sun pierced his eyes as he stepped out of the office, the city remained quiet as he walked out to his car and then the street lights flickered on, music began to buy the air and he smiled time to go out and have fun.

Pan's eyes snapped open at the sound of someone banging on her front door and she grumbled as she eased out of her bed and out into the hallway before she slipped a robe on and opened the door. Bura stood before her, make up and dressed to go clubbing and she arched a brow, "You're not ready?" she asked and Pan arched a brow, "Ready for what?"

"It's Goten's birthday." Pan's eyes went wide and she suddenly whipped away running to her room. "Shit! I completely forgot!" She flew into her closet and pulled clothes on before she ran into her bathroom and began putting make up on. Bura appeared in the doorway and arched a brow, "You better play down the, I'm single look," she commented and Pan frowned, "Why?"

"Trunks are going to be out tonight with us." Pan rolled her eyes, "Please he's got Marron, and I'll be fine."

"You do know it's a set up right?" Pan once more rolled her eyes, "That's not too hard to see, he doesn't want her, and she's in for one thing, pretty basic." Bura's eyes went wide, "How'd you know?!" she exclaimed, "Your mother warned me," she murmured as she slicked mascara on her lashes. "What does that mean? What did she tell you?" Pan flipped her hair and pulled the wavy locks into a high ponytail after pinning her bangs back."It means what she told me you don't need to know," and Bura pouted, "Meanie."

"Don't act like a child, you'll probably find out the details later on and soon know more than I do." Her pouting face brightened while Pan arched a brow at her as she slipped her jeans on and put a low cut shirt on top before she caught her purse and nodded, "Kay I'm ready let's get out of here."

Bura pulled up to a restaurant and Pan arched a brow, "Are we really eating before we go?" she asked and Bura nodded, "Yeah, Goten wanted it. Come on."

They slipped out of the car after Bura placed it in park and walked into the common diner while people eyed them and stared at their form of dress. Bura was the first to head inside and Pan paused hearing Trunks's voice already, "Hey I'm going to have a cigarette before I go in," she murmured and Bura whipped back around.

She placed a hand on her hip and smiled a cocky grin like her father's, "If you're going to smoke you can just do it in there," she stated and Pan shrugged, "I thought it'd be nice if I just let it out here, so I'll just-"

"Where's your lighter?" she asked and Pan stiffened before she sighed, "Bura I really don't want to go in there with him there," she murmured truthfully, Bura knew Pan didn't smoke. Bura sighed and stepped back to her curling an arm around her arm, "You can do this," she whispered, "Just because he missed out doesn't mean you have to."

Pan felt a bit of the weight lift from her shoulders and looked at Bura uncertainly, "We're doing this for Goten," she commented and Bura grinned like a fool, "Hell yeah we are!" They walked in then, with their heads held high and Pan felt Bura stiffen as they came upon the scene of Trunks with a girl on his arm and Goten with another.

Their eyes met the girls and they smiled, "Hey Bura," Goten murmured, "Pan, thanks for coming," he added and Pan nodded carefully as she guided Bura next to her to sit across from the men and their flings for the night.

Trunks saw the frantic look in Pan's eyes and then saw the swelling anger in his sister's, he knew then he'd done the wrong thing in bringing along a few girls for the party. Pan forced a bitter smile then and nudged an elbow into Bura's ribs, "We're going clubbing after this," she commented, trying to pull up a subject. "You hadn't said you wanted to do anything after this, so we went ahead and made plans," Bura added. Trunks eyed his sister, "Why? You got another boy you're going after?" Her face flushed and Goten frowned, "What is that supposed to mean?"

And suddenly Trunks felt a searing pain throb up from his shin and glared at his sister, before he found it was Pan who was glaring at him. He eyed her angrily before he opened his mouth to speak, "It only means, Bura likes-" Another whack and he cringed, this time that was from his sister, he knew because of the point in her heels, her eyes pleaded with him and he turned away facing the young woman he'd brought, "Nothing, she likes clubbing that's all."

Goten frowned and leaned back into his seat as the girl beside him stroked his hair and looked at him lovingly. Bura glared at her before she glanced around, her eyes narrowed on the young man that walked to them as their waiter and she smiled for him, as he looked at her.

"Can I take your order?" he offered and she nodded, "Put the entire table on my bill," she began and Goten frowned, "No way! I'm not allowing you to pay!" he exclaimed pulling himself from the girl. Pan eyed Bura and saw her wink at her, "No it's alright, and it's your birthday anyways, I don't mind."

She watched as his heart literally sank and she rested her chin into the palm of her hand, "It's nice knowing that you'd like to pay anyways," she reasoned, "So," she murmured as she looked back up at the waiter through long lashes. She took a last glance at Goten finding him gazing at her attire.

Then her eyes fell back upon the waiter and he gulped and she smiled sweetly, "Do you have an open bar?" she asked, he nodded, "Do you have a sampler of appetizers?" Another nod, "And finally do you have vanilla or chocolate cake for the birthday boy?" A final nod and she smiled, "Alright then, we'd like that and anything else they order."

A young woman arched her brow, "Who exactly do you think you are?" she snipped and Bura arched a brow, "I believe I'm offering to pay for your meal, so if you don't like it pay for your own." The girl piped down and Pan chuckled, "You don't have to be so forceful," she reasoned.

Bura raised an arm flexing playfully, "Of course I do! I'm a woman," she laughed and Pan merely shook her head and laughed along side of her.

"Um, Ms. Briefs, you did not state what you wanted to drink," the waiter murmured and Bura looked at him once more, "Could I just have water with lemon please?" He looked at Pan and he felt relief wash over him as she smiled sweetly for him. Trunks felt a small pang of jealousy curl around him as she stated her order and waved a hand, "If that isn't available just let me have an iced tea please."

She faced them and smiled, "What would you ladies like? Anything from the bar?"

"A martini, dry," one stated, "A gin and tonic," the other murmured and Pan and Bura exchanged looks, "You think they don't want to be here?" Pan whispered as she leaned over to place her purse under her seat and Bura merely laughed, "Of course not, with us pretty girls they must be dying."

Pan felt laughter well and bubble past her lips as she sat back up and covered her mouth as she did so. Trunks rested his chin into the palm of his hand and looked at the two ladies, "Are you going to share?"

"With you, big brother?" Bura teased, "Never," Pan added and another round of fitted laughter.

"Trunks," He looked at his girl and smiled, "Yeah Coco?"

"Me and Sherri want to go dancing after this." She whined and he felt the urge to complain, but he'd invited the girls to get a kick out of Bura and Pan and he mentally scolded himself for literally doing so. He nodded and forced a sweet smile, "Of course we'll go dancing," he reasoned.

Pan saw the smile Trunks gave to Coco and wished then, even though she knew that smile was fake, that he would smile at her like that. She felt Bura grasp her hand from underneath the table and squeeze gently, to reassure her that she was there for her.

She looked at Bura, squeezed her hand right back and smiled for her, see? No worries, no fears, 'cause tonight was Goten's night and no one else's. Nothing could make her feel poorly.

Their eyes fell upon the gentlemen of their evening and Goten looked at Pan helplessly as Sherri curled a tight grasp around his arm. She merely arched a brow, looked back and Bura and then at him trying desperately to give him a clue to her feelings about him.

He only then looked at the young woman and smiled gently pulling his arm away, clearly unknowing of the true meaning of Pan's look, but catching a drift that the girl was far too close for only meeting him within the hour.

"Sherri here, dances as a profession," he began and Bura arched a brow, "That's nice, what kind of dancing do you do?" she pondered sweetly and Sherri grinned, "I was Trunks's samba instructor before I began working at the Fuzzy Navel Club," she announced and Pan winked at Trunks as she spoke, "Don't you mean then Fuzzy Peach?"

Sherri arched a brow, "No the Fuzzy Navel," she corrected and Pan nodded, "Then you work at the strip joint not the club," she corrected and Sherri went dead still, "How did you-" Pan grinned for her, "My buddy Toni's a bouncer there, he worked at the Peach when I was bartending there before he went to the Navel."

"Omigod, then you must know Tonia!" she exclaimed and Pan nodded as her drink was set out before her, "Thank you…Yeah, we went to college together before I studied abroad," she commented, "She's a good woman."

Coco looked at Sherri and Sherri looked back at her before she quieted and placed a complacent smile on her face. "What you girls can't talk with a boy's friends?" Bura teased and Coco arched a brow, "Let's just say they chose us as their dates, not you," she stated rather all high and mighty.

Pan merely laughed, "You do know Trunks's is engaged and Goten's not gonna give you anything unless you earn it right?" Trunks went dead still and Goten smiled weakly as both the girls looked at them, "Trunks you said you got rid of her!" Coco hissed and he shrugged, "We're on a break, she's seeing people, and I'm seeing people that's all, I'm not sleeping around with anyone," he reasoned, "I only wanted your company."

Her eyes went wide and she waved down the waiter, "We're gonna need more drinks," she announced. And Bura and Pan merely laughed while Sherri sat there quiet and to herself. Pan turned back to her then, "So you said you know Tonia, you're not her brother's wife are you?" she asked and Sherri's eyes brightened, "Yes, I am, Bear's really sweet he knows I'm out tonight with Coco," she said carefully.

Pan gleamed at her, "Bear and I went to college together over in Europe," she stated and Sherri nodded, "He's told me," she murmured as Coco gave her another fitful glare.

Pan didn't roll her eyes like Bura just had, but thought twice about doing so definitely not trying to be polite to Coco. And then she looked at her, Coco sat next to Trunks groping his neck and he fidgeted underneath her, placing his hands on hers only to place hers into her lap. He seem somewhat disgusted with her, that she would even think about touching him and she figured then he'd only brought her long to make it less awkward for himself, though, it did no help for himself.

Coco and Sherri looked like complete opposites except for their wardrobe, their personalities matched that of Bura's and hers, but they were normal people, they were women who didn't need to worry about because hell, one was already married and successfully holding a job while the other was able to party with any one of her various papas for the night.

Sherri had beautiful green eyes, Pan would give her that, but she was a bit of a ditz, she could tell so by the way she spoke and by the way she allowed Coco to control her in this conversing situation. Coco definitely had her head held high and she was in charge, too bad, she thought. Bura's gonna rip her a new one.

Pan looked back at her uncle and saw him in the same manner as Trunks, trying desperately to get away from Sherri as her strong perfume overpowered him, and her red lips frightened him. She was exactly the kind of city girl his mother warned him about.

Pan laughed then thinking about Grandma Chichi scolding him.

"Something funny?" Bura pondered and Pan popped out of her thoughts, she shook her head, "No, nothing, just thinking about family," she replied gently. "You're kinda quiet tonight Pan, something bothering you?" Goten pressed and Pan could literally feel Trunks's burning eyes on her questioning her, and as she let her own meet his she saw behind those curious blue eyes there was worry, and she tore herself away with a smile.

"Just tired," she reasoned, "I was up early and didn't get a break."

"Yeah, I know that's true, she'd just crawled into bed when I got to her place," Bura giggled and Pan eyed her, "I'd forgotten, I'm terribly sorry." Goten merely laughed it off, "Pan you work like crazy, I don't mind."

She felt a relief wash over her as she heard him say that, it was almost as a blanket had fallen around her comforting her and helping her not feel so regretful and sorry for being late. But Goten knew she worked hard and that was something she had to be thankful for.

They sat there for a good two hours, sitting, and chatting, eating and laughing and she wished that she would've felt more at home, but her mind wandered, she remained rather still and quiet, glancing in and out of the windows watching the rain.

Bura looked at her and sighed, before with a smile went back to her conversation of fashion with Sherri and the ever so reluctant Coco, she found herself multitasking as her thoughts were not on the topic and were more so on Goten. He was laughing with her brother about something and when Trunks glanced at her and grinned like a fool before murmuring something at Goten and they both looked at her.

Goten's face broke into a smile and he laughed only nodding in agreement, Bura arched a brow and let the moment pass, even though she wanted to know what her elder brother had said. Goten looked back at Trunks murmured something and Trunks's eyed went wide before he eyed him.

It was the look an older brother would give to an on looking man to his sister. Bura watched them and when they found her looking at them they quieted their conversation and opened themselves to table talk. "So which club were you ladies going to hit first?" Trunks pondered.

Bura and Pan exchanged looks and then Bura put on a smart smile, "I was thinking Urge and then that new Neon place downtown what about you?" she countered and Trunks made a face, "You want to go to new places?" he groused and Pan nodded, "Of course, by going to new places and people following the crowds the old places become less dense with people and then you go back to your favorites spots so there aren't any crowds," Bura shrugged, "Clearly Trunks you haven't done this thing for very long."

"Well, it's up to Goten," he reasoned, as he looked back at him, "You want to go out tonight?" he asked and Goten grinned, "Yeah, let's ditch this, I want to go clubbing."

Bura looked at Pan as they drove to the club and heard her sigh, "You okay?"

"I want to go home," she reasoned, "Because of Trunks?" Bura asked and Pan laughed bitterly, "Please, I'm just tired, I've had a long day."

"What did you do all day?"

"Worked, I had a meeting with your mother this morning, then I had lunch with a few clients, before filing papers all day and organizing the photos for CC next issue," she said as she craned her neck. "Why don't you take a vacation?" Bura offered and Pan laughed once more, "How? Or more so when would I be able to do that?"

"You're supposed to make time, that's why it's called a vacation," Bura stated and Pan arched a brow, "Oh really?"

"Yes, you choose when and where and people must schedule their lives around it, it's a onetime thing you must do, place yourself before everyone and you must report back to me about how it feels." Pan merely rolled her eyes though her mind agreed that it was a great concept.

And as they pulled up to the club and slipped out of the low car allowing the valet to park it Pan craned her neck as Trunks and Goten walked up with their girls curled close to their sides. They walked to the beginning of the line and the bouncer shook his head, "No one allowed in without a VIP pass," he groused and Trunks smiled while Bura grumbled. "Come on I'll pay you a good chunk of change to let us in," he reasoned and the bouncer still shook his head.

Pan laughed and pushed past Trunks while the bouncer turned his back on them ignoring them, "You won't even let us in for an old friend, Cad?" she catcalled and his shoulders visibly stiffened as he slowly faced them. "Son Pan," he growled and Trunks stiffened while Goten went on high alert, "You little catty piece of shit," he continued, "Where's your fine ass been all these years?"

Trunks felt his blood curdle and she winked, "I've been working jus' like you have, now come on, it's Goten's birthday and we want to treat him right, I promise to let you treat me to a drink later," she flirted and he stepped aside pulling the rope back, "Come on in."

They filed in and Bura followed her confused, "Who was that?" she whispered and Pan shrugged, "My old tutor," she commented and her jaw fell open, "Your tutor?" she exclaimed and Pan shrugged, "What can I say he's a sweetheart."

And then Pan's eyes went wide and she ran further inside. "Omigod, Tapon!" she exclaimed, a blue haired man turned and his gaze brightened as Pan ran at him throwing herself into his arms, "My god girl, I haven't seen you in ages, how long has it been since you were last here?" he exclaimed as he lifted her up looking her over, "Girl you got some curves on that kid body of yours that would kill a man," he admitted truthfully.

Goten frowned and stepped forward as Pan faced them smiling, Trunks's hands had tightened into fists and Pan arched a brow, "Tapon, this is my uncle Goten and my best friend Bura, as well as her brother Trunks, and their dates Sherri and Coco," she introduced, "Bura this is Tapon, the guy who got me my first designing job here at the club," she explained.

Bura's eyes brightened then and she nodded, "I remember now, you were the nerd," she reasoned and he turned crimson, "Yeah, I had some pretty thick glasses back then in college, man, you've got to be in the big leagues now, I hear your name with Mrs. Bulma's on the television every now and then. You've got to come by the college sometime, I'm a professor up there now."

"Are you really?" Pan pondered and he smiled boldly, "Of course," he boasted.  
"Tapon? Sweetheart?"

A small voice came from behind the large man and he smiled as he let Pan go and turned to the owner of the intruding voice, "Honey," he began, "Look who's here." Pan's eyes went wide once more, "Tonia!" she screamed and Coco went dead still as Sherri squealed, "Tonia I didn't know you'd be up here!" Sherri stated and Tonia grinned, "Hey girls…"

Bura looked at her brother finding his gaze hard, his eyes glassy and his hands in tight fists no one could release. "Trunks," she murmured then, walking up to him and giving him a hug, "Pan can protect herself, stop trying to fight yourself for her," she advised and he curled an arm around his sister, hugging her back, "I can't help but feel as though she's my responsibility…after all it's my fault she is the way she is now." Bura shook her head, "Pan is who she is because she chose to be not because of you, and you know that. She knew you didn't want her so she left and did the best she could."

"It's not that I didn't want her," he began and she shook her head, "We'll finish this later," she reasoned as she pulled away and turned back to the crowd.

"So? Does this big guy got a table for six or what?" she laughed.

They did as they did at the restaurant before Bura whined for a moment and Pan rolled her eyes before offering to get drinks. Bura nodded saying she wanted just a water while Sherri and Coco whined for alcohol.

She disappeared then only to return moments later with water bottles before she made another dive through the dance floor and retrieved drinks for Coco and Sherri

Trunks watched Pan as she squeezed through the crowd with two drinks in hand, he noted how she pardoned herself and excused herself even though the dancers didn't care, as long as she didn't spill a drop of mixed drink on them he supposed they'd be alright. What did it matter anyways that he was watching her?

Marron didn't care, she shouldn't have cared, and they had broken up or were poorly mistaken to be postponed onto a break with one another. He knew he couldn't touch Pan anyways but he rather enjoyed the sight of her wearing tight denim jeans and a skimpy shirt that his sister had placed upon her when she had decided that Pan would be joining them for the evening. Her makeup had been done her hair pinned up and waves cascaded down her backside ending right above her rump. she'd grown beautiful, he wouldn't deny her that and she stopped a few men in their tracks when she'd finally exited the dance floor and held out a drink to Bura before sipping at her own.

"So Pan I heard you're going to be staring a new job with my mother," he commented and pan arched a brow, "So, what's it to you?" she snipped. Bura grinned, "Trunks you're not going to be able to steal Pan away like you did with the last girl mom had with her." He eyed his sister, "Who says I want to steal her?" he countered smartly, she eyed him like a sister would, "Your eyes do."

He stiffened and Pan nodded towards Goten, "Who's the girl with Goten?" she murmured and Bura huffed, "Some skank," she spat out and Pan arched a brow, "You think you should be talking about her like that?" she pondered and Bura pouted. "I got all dressed up for nothing, stupid stiff." Pan sighed, "Have you ever thought of just being yourself around him? You like looking good in public but I've told you before, Goten thinks you're like that all the time and that you're materialistic," she reasoned with her and Bura turned away.

"I want to dance Pan." And Pan smiled for her, "Fine, if that's what you want to do, go ahead," she stated and Bura smiled at her "we haven't gone dancing since you graduated from college and if I remember correctly you were all over ." Trunks coughed, choking on his drink, "Sharper's son?!" he exclaimed. Pan turned crimson, "Bura! You knew I had been drinking!"

"Yeah and you passed out at my apartment and couldn't move the next day," she added for her and Pan sighed, "What do you want?"

"I want to dance!" Bura exclaimed and she took Coco's drink from her hand and shoved it up to her mouth, "So if I have to get you drunk to get you to dance with me again I'll force it down." Pan struggled with her and finally caught the drink from her and set down the drink and eyed, "Happy now? Look, you know I don't need a drink to dance."

"Good I'm glad, now let's go." Trunks watched in shock as his younger sister took up Pan's hand and dragged her onto the dance floor. "Hey!" he called and they paused."You really dance?" His question was pointed towards Pan and Pan arched a smart brow, "What you think I can't?" she taunted and he shook his head truthfully answering her. She shrugged, "You've never gone out with me to know if I can or not."

And as Sherri and Coco giggled amongst themselves he lifted himself from his seat and walked up to the raptors keeping a close watch on Pan and Bura as they made their way to the middle of the crowed dance floor and began twisting and turning into the beat of the music.

He watched as Pan pressed her body to turn and sway with the time, and watched as she looked all too stunning as she danced. Her hair flew, her eyes glittered and her smile was genuine. He found himself watching her for the next hour, watched as she exited the floor to get bottled water for her and Bura only to get back into the crowd.

He snuck down into the dance floor, as Bura disappeared into the bathroom and waited at the table. He pressed himself through the floor and caught Pan's wrist as she swayed, she stiffened looked at him and panicked before he pulled her close and held her to him.

"Dance with me," he whispered darkly and she pulled her arm away from him, "I can't." She left him then, disappearing off of the floor and walking back to the table and he waited for a moment before leaving and finally following after her.

"Hey Bura I've got to be up for work tomorrow so I'm going to head out," he heard her announce. "But we all took one car," Bura commented and Pan nodded, "I know that, but I don't like driving in the rain, and I took it in capsule so I'll be fine okay? Have a good night," she said quickly.

"Pan," she began and Bura looked at her uncertainly and Pan touched her forehead knocking her head back, "I'm fine, I'm just going home to get some sleep, don't worry about me."

"Pan, you want me to drive you home?" Trunks's voice sounded all too inviting and as much as she wanted to say yes she smiled and shook her head, "You've got to take the girls home and I don't want to intrude so I'm gonna get out of here, have a good night Trunks, Happy Birthday Goten. By Bura I'll see you tomorrow for lunch."

He nodded and waved at her before stepping up and hugging her, "Thanks for coming out Pan." She shrugged, "What else is a homebody like me saving a night for?" she joked. She waved then and took her leave and Bura felt her heart ache. "Poor Pan," she murmured and before the two men could question her words she went back to the table and took a seat beside a rather trashed Coco.

"You two should probably tag a taxi down for your girls, they're not doing too well for tonight," she commented sourly knowing neither one of the girls could comprehend her words. Trunks sighed 

while Goten nodded and helped Sherri up out of her slumped posture and guided her out front, "You coming Bura?" he called as Trunks caught up Coco and took her out.

As they exited Trunks's eyes looked about trying to find Pan and found her walking with underneath an umbrella with her hand in her pocket. "She's trying to get away from you so stop trying to follow her," Bura hissed while Goten caught a taxi.

"I didn't do anything," he growled right back and she nodded, "Yeah, uh-hm, I saw that little dance move you tried doing with her, you remember that you're getting married right? Don't make Pan start caring for you only to have her heart broken all over again."

"She knows to stay away," he murmured and Bura rolled her eyes, "I know she can stay away from you like she's been doing for the past two years, Trunks it's you who I'm worried about getting close to her."

He stiffened at that comment and Goten faced them before he could cause an upstart with his sister.

"Come on," Goten called, "Let's get going I want to do something else," he called and Bura walked out to him with a smile, "What else do you want birthday boy?" He grinned, "There are a few things I'd like, but it's hot so let's get in the car and get some air."

He walked to the car and Trunks followed after them, slinking into the back of the car while Goten took the driver's seat and Bura took the passenger's. "So what was up with Pan? She'd get a headache or too drunk?" Goten asked as he started the engine. Bura giggled, "Pan drink? She doesn't drink at all because she'll get trashed, plus she doesn't drink when she's got work the next day."

"You know too?" Trunks asked with astonishment, Bura nodded, "Of course I know that she's modeling, I was the first one to know cause it was my idea."

"What Pan's modeling? And know what?"Goten asked innocently, "That Trunks is getting married." Goten's jaw fell open, "I didn't know you were getting married," he hissed and Trunks glared at Bura 

while she shrugged and looked out the window, "Its just an arrangement," Trunks growled, "Marron and I-"

"Whoa wait-a-minute, Marron? You're marrying her? Out of all the women you could've started a family with you chose her? The famous backstabber?" Goten demanded and Trunks glared at him too, "It's hard to explain," he grit out and Goten arched a brow as he exited the main road, "What like the sex was great but the money's better?"

"Who told you??" Trunks demanded suddenly and Goten eyed him, "No one has to guess why you two would get married, one, you hate one another, two, you're both rich, three, you're both attractive so the only advise I have for you, is that you need to protect your rights and your belongings, cause if shit goes flying you're going get screwed paying her out the ass."

Bura's jaw hung open at the words that came out of Goten's mouth, "I guess because you're his best friend you get to say that," she commented and Goten grinned a boyish smile, "Of course sweetheart, I may be a country boy, and I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I am certainly not dull."

"Looks like Gohan wasn't the only one who received a bit of brain," she retorted and he arched a brow, "What? Those book worms get you all hot and bothered?" She laughed nervously, "I think your drinks went to your head," she murmured and he smiled, "I don't drink, brings out the worst in me."

"Is that supposed to be a quote?" she retorted smartly, "All Son family members get a rough side when they drink," he countered with a smart lip. Bura nodded then, "That's true," she agreed.

"Man, it is so hot," Trunks groused and Bura's gaze suddenly brightened.

"Hey! Pan's got a swimming pool back at her place, let's all go in for a dive," Bura stated and Goten arched a brow, "Are you crazy? It's one in the morning, how much have you had to drink?"

"I didn't have any and neither did Pan, we don't drink on Fridays," she murmured and Trunks arched a brow back at her, "Any reason for that?"

"Sundays are our days off, so we party on Saturday nights when it's not too crowded, but even then Pan doesn't drink. It brings out the worst in her."

"Yeah like she could be any worse now," he grumbled and she glared at him, "I heard that you jerk, Pan isn't the best when it comes to drinking 'cause she gets emotional with it, she's not a mean drunk only a crying one."

"Why do you think that is?" Goten asked, Bura looked out the passenger window and remained quiet for a bit of time before she replied, "Because Pan needs an excuse to let herself go or she'll combust."

They remained silent for moments until Goten cleared his throat and pulled into an apartment complex, "Pan lives here?"  
"And other places," Bura added as she slipped over Goten and rolled down the window, she pressed a line and listened for the dial tone until Pan picked up, "Hello?"

"Hey honey let us in, we want to go swimming!"

A sigh on the other line, then a beep and the gate slid open and Bura smiled, "I knew she'd let us in, I forgot my key." Goten felt his pants tighten as Bura's breasts brushed his arm and he continued to drive forward. "You live here too?" he asked and she nodded, "Yeah, well, no, not really, I used to for a while, but I do live here sometimes. My apartment is in the building next to Pan's." Trunks looked around finding some rather nice apartments then looked at his sister, "You really live here?"

"Pan and I moved here when we were in college, its apart of our lives, I had mom keep up my place when I moved out and Pan stayed here for a few years before going off to school and mom took care of both of the places," she explained, "Take a left and then park it in front of the club house, the pool's just on the other side."

And as they parked, almost as if on cue, Pan presented herself from around a corner and Bura rushed out of the car and threw herself at her smiling, "I knew you'd still be awake!" Pan hushed her, "Bura if you're here to swim you gotta keep it down you know that."

She stood there in sweatpants and a tshirt, looking rather comfortable as Bura caught her hand and dragged her into the pool yard. Her laughter could be heard and the two men followed her in, and by the time they got inside Bura had stripped down to her skivvys and Pan sat at the pool's edge with her legs in the water.

"Come on!" Bura pleaded and Pan merely laughed at her, "Bura I've got work tomorrow and a meeting in the morning before meeting with your mother," she reasoned and suddenly a taunting voice sounded, "What afraid of a little water?"

Pan whipped around and eyed Trunks her patience fed up with him, "I am most certainly not!" she exclaimed, "Then why don't you get in?" Bura teased back and Pan eyed her, "Don't worry sweetheart the only reason why I wouldn't swim with you is because I don't have a swimsuit with me at all times."

Bura only laughed not taking the comment offensively as she laughed harder, "Come on, Pan, get in, you've gone before in your bra and panties," she teased, "Why not one more time?"

"That was a one and only time and we were in the middle of nowhere where no one would find us."

Goten arched a brow then, "You talking about those hot springs out at Mt. Pazou?" he called and Bura's eyes went wide, "How do you know about those?" she exclaimed and his face turned crimson as he chuckled nervously and looked at Trunks, "Well, you know…we had that get together…and dad and I and the other guys wanted to spar…Trunks kinda and I kinda-"

Pan's eyes narrowed at Trunks as he tried turning away without being drug into the conversation, "Continue uncle Goten," she ordered, "Well he kinda stumbled upon you guys, it was no big deal," he spit out quickly and Pan's eyes went wide, "I knew it! I knew you guys had spied on us!" she accused.

Bura looked at him and arched a brow, "So then why am I the only one in the pool?" she asked, "Those other girls are gone, and we see you two in the buck all the time because of those stupid training sessions, why so nervous now?" she taunted and Pan rolled her eyes as her thoughts got the best of her.

"Bura I have work tomorrow," she complained as she pulled her shirt over her head and Bura merely sunk underneath the surf with only her eyes showing as she giggled.

She looked at her brother and saw his eyes widen, while his jaw slowly and ever so cautiously fell open as Pan shimmied out of the loose cotton sweats and finally dove into the pool. Bura met her as she pulled up from underneath the surf and hung her arms about Pan's shoulders, as she looked up at her brother and Trunks, "So what about you two? You going to watch or join?" She arched a smart brow at her brother saw him shake his head and visually contemplate his decision.

"I like watching," Goten said sheepishly and Pan merely shook her head, "Hey Uncle Goten can you swim?" she asked and he nodded, "Of course I can, I grew up in the country." And she nodded, "Good, cause Bura's a city girl," she commented as she turned and caught Bura, "What are you-" Bura began and Pan tossed her to the deep end of the pool, "You better go save her, cause that city girl can't swim."

Bura's face turned frantic as she struggled to keep herself above water and as Goten's eyes went wide, he took a quick look at Pan before he dove in, clothes and all Pan swam over to the edge and pulled herself up and out of the water. She crouched down and caught up her clothes and Trunks watched her, "You're just going to let her-"

"She's fine," she snapped as she faced him with a sour look, "Bura learned how to swim because her mother taught her, but that," she looked back seeing Goten carrying Bura up and out of the pool, "it's called a hit and run."

Trunks looked back and found them lost in themselves and suddenly got it, his sister liked Goten to the point of hiding from him and Pan found a solution to get them comfortable with one another. He looked back at Pan and found her walking out of the pool yard before he ran after her.

"Pan," he called softly. "Pan wait," he called and as he leapt over the fence and began to follow her upstairs she had paused at the stairwell, "Trunks I'm only going to tell you thank you for being enjoyable tonight, but you need to leave, you have work tomorrow and Marron's probably wondering why you're not at home with her. So please go away."

He watched her disappear into her apartment and he ran his hands through his hair as he felt his heart beating all too quickly. He shoved his hands in his pockets fighting the urge to go up there and tell her he was sorry for what he'd done, but she wouldn't have understood why he'd done it.

Why he'd pushed her loved away and why he hadn't ever looked at her when secretly he had been looking at her all along. He pushed her away because of his job, because of her father because of his own father, he pushed her away because he couldn't have given her what she needed.

A loving husband there every night, not, gone because of work, a man who would come home for dinner and expect kids to be running around. How could she have ever expected him to be a doting father when he wouldn't even be a doting son?

He walked away, forced himself and let out another agonizing sigh, she was everything and anything like him, she had wanted to prove herself to him and because of that she gave up her dreams of teaching kids, of being a doctor and instead became a girl of the office, a business woman and then bitter laughter fell from his lips. Who ever knew the tomboy Son Pan could ever get caught up in fashion and politics anyways?

He wandered off to his car, slipped inside and smacked a hand against the steering wheel before finally pulling out and leaving the apartment complex without another thought left of the infamous woman Son Pan.

Trunks felt his eyes snap open and felt the cold, steel hand of fear wrap around his throat and grab a tight hold. He lifted himself up from his bed and glanced around finding nothing, but having the gut feeling that he needed to be doing something.

He eased up and looked at the clock and cursed, already 8am he need to be at the warehouse by 10 and with it being on the other side of town there was no way even if he flew that he'd be there on time. He went around the room the, doing his daily routine of placing a suit on the bed, walking into the bathroom, brushing his teeth, pulling his hair back into a ponytail.

Something Marron hated as well as his mother hated.

He smirked at the thought of Marron grimacing at the long tail of lavender; he craned his neck, slipped into his suit and sauntered out into the kitchen receiving a cup of coffee and an orange as he walked out the door.  
He heard no one else in the house knowing then Marron had already awoken and was probably waiting on him with his mother or had been out and about with her own handful of men. He eased out walked to his car and finally drove into the city finding it quiet on an early Saturday morning. He came upon a stop sign and suddenly a car came speeding through as he went to cross and he glared.

He threw a few curse words letting his window roll down and heard a faint 'sorry' as the car sped away. He caught the license plate number and stiffed, "Son 3," he murmured. "Son Pan, 3rd generation," he concluded and instead of following through to the road that led out of town he followed after the car.

He watched as it screeched to a halt in a small diner and realized then it was the same diner he and Bura and Goten as well as Pan had been in the night before.

His eyes widened then as he watched a fine stiletto heel slip out of the low car and saw as Son Pan stepped up and out of the car and scampered inside before the drizzling weather could seep her.

He saw her walk up to a man and went dead still as she caught up a young child and tossed them into the air before smothering them with kisses. She laughed and smiled at the man as she slipped into the booth next to the child leaving the man to sit across from them.

They chatted and carried on and he eased into the parking lot he sat there watching as she conversed with the couplet of boys and knew then what Bura saw in her. A very simple and pristine woman, someone anyone could talk to without feeling offended or scared off, except in the workforce.

He smiled at the thought of that, he couldn't imagine any man approaching Pan on the workforce and questioning her to go out to dinner with them. She would merely arch a brow state 'I do not date within the workforce' and go on with her daily routine while the man sat back his self esteem crushed from then on forcing him to wallow in self pity.

Oh, how cruel Son pan could be at some times.

She looked at her watch then and had an apologetic look and he found it to already be 9:30 and it'd already been thirty minutes that he'd been watching her.

He watched she finally smiled sweetly and lifted herself up from the seat. Trunks felt his curiosity grow as she gave the young man a hug and placed a sweet kiss to the child's head and waved at them as she left. Trunks stayed where he was as he watched her leave the diner and finally slip into her car and disappear onto the highway.

He revved his engine up and sat there for a good ten minutes before finally pulling out and leaving the scene he had preoccupied himself with.

Pan watched the rain fall in small drip and drops as she drove along the highway and she sighed as she rested a hand on the steering wheel and cruised along the freeway. She pressed a forefinger to the radio button and as the music streamed to her ears she realized she hadn't felt this comfortable in a long time. She drove through the city, past the piers of water and out to the CC's main warehouse where most cars and stock models were stored and felt a grin break her solemn face as she saw Bulma and Paulo waiting for her. She parked and stepped out of the low car and shut the door behind her as she tightened her jacket about her shoulders, trying to shelter herself from the frosty weather. Paulo's laughter sounded and Pan found him laughing with Bulma.

"We were wondering if you were even going to make it," Paulo joked and Pan forced her laughter.

He would never know why she'd been at that diner, no one would except Bulma. And as she looked at her Bulma merely smiled with understanding and motioned her inside, "Trunks just called he should be here soon," she announced. Pan arched a brow, "Is that merely a warning?" she joked.

"No, it's an understanding that you follow the rules."

The smart ass voice came from inside and Pan watched as Marron stepped out. She scowled, "What are you doing here?" she groused, Bulma smiled for them, "Marron merely wants to watch that's all, she won't get in the way," she reasoned and Pan turned to step further into the warehouse, choosing not to speak another word, knowing if she did she'd shove herself down.

"What do you want me to wear?" she asked gently, "Something that represents you," Bulma commented and Pan grinned as she came upon a pair of ragged jeans and a red shirt, as she looked through the endless racks of clothes, she held them out, "How about a child to present? May I alter 

these?" she asked and Bulma smiled at her, "Or course." Then Pan's eyes brightened, "But because it's an October issue we can play up the Halloween costumes!" she exclaimed.

"Mom why exactly am I out here?" Trunks's voice sounded and all eyes went to him before Pan held her head high and ignored him as she walked into the dressing room. "Paulo," she called, "I'll need you." He went after her like an obedient dog.

Trunks walked to Bulma and arched a brow, "Why are you giving me that look?"

"You're over an hour late," she hissed and he shrugged, "So was Pan," he reasoned and her eyes narrowed, "how did you-"

"I followed her here," he stated firmly, "Do you know what she did before this?" he asked and she arched a brow, "Indulge me."

"She had breakfast with a man and some kid." Her eyes went wide, "What?" she whispered before pulling him to a more private area. He nodded, "Yeah, some guy from star city, she met him for breakfast with his kid." She sighed then and shook her head, "Oh, I got all worried for a sec," she murmured before smiling at him, "He must be Brak, he's a college friend of Pan's, he lost his wife a few years ago and Pan was with him when he found out." Trunks arched a brow, "How did she-"

"Car wreck." He felt his chest tighten. 'I don't enjoy driving in the rain,' Pan's words rung in his ears and he sighed, "So that's why she wanted to walk home," he murmured and Bulma frowned, "What are you talking about?" He looked at her with concern in his eye, "It was raining last night, and Pan didn't want to drive home so she walked."

"You didn't offer her a ride?" she scolded and he nodded, "I did so, but she declined saying she wanted to walk, she came with Bura so I guess her car was at home anyways. Plus Bura and Goten finally got together so I guess she didn't want to be bothered with them either."

Pan walked out and Trunks went dead still, she wore a ripped up red shirt that strategically covered her breasts and a pair of torn Capri with a red bandana in her hair. "Girl I remember you when you wore this," Paulo said sadly, "I'm so glad these days are over."

She smiled then and winked at him, "Where do you want me Paulo?"

In the back seat...naked, Trunks thought. The thought of her sprawled out with her naked goddess body made him shudder.

"Sweetheart?" He looked back at Marron and she cast a worried look at him, "You alright?" she pondered and he nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit cold," he reasoned. Marron was trying to be the little wife while they were out in public and as her arm slipped upon his forearm and wrestled himself free, "Don't." She pouted, "That's something you've been saying a lot lately," she whined, then leaned up to his height and whispered into his ear, "Why are you here anyways? You know she won't look at you after what you told her before, plus I'm your fiancée not her," she hissed deadly. He rolled his shoulder sending her off of him, he looked down at her, "If you don't stop hanging on me you won't get jack shit out of this." She smiled for him, "Oh, stop complaining honey, you're gaining a profit from it as well so stop complaining."

Marron looked back at Pan and arched a brow, "Pan your hip is too sharp," she commented and Pan flipped her off, "Marron I was a swimsuit model for a year in America I'm pretty sure I know what to do." Marron gaped at her and whipped around to Bulma, "Did you see what she did?!" she demanded and Bulma merely arched a brow, "You were the one antagonizing her."

Paulo laughed and Marron huffed while a small smile curled Trunks's lips. Pan knew how to keep Marron on the run for her money. "Alright girl, next costume." It went like this for almost an hour before Pan looked down up at the nearby clock and the camera snapped, "Wonderful!" Paulo shouted, "Last one."

She nodded then and Trunks watched as she merely curled her clothes up underneath her arm and slipped her jacket on before rushing to Bulma, "I've got to go." Bulma merely nodded and nodded a head to the door, "Go on." Pan waved to Paulo and took a speedy exit without giving another look to either Trunks or Marron.

He walked to his mother as she walked out and leaned into her height, "So what do you know?" he pondered at her and she merely took a long drag on the cigarette she held and blew it at him, he coughed and she cackled, "More than you'll ever know."

And with that she took her leave taking a long drag on her cigarette.

Pan rushed into Bura's home and shook the rainwater from her hair as she slinked into the home. She heard giggling and went dead still, "If there are naked people in this house I'm leaving!" she called out and suddenly Bura came running out in her pajamas, "Oh…I completely forgot about lunch," Pan arched a brow, "I figured that."

She heard a moan and Bura turned crimson, "Do I need to leave you two alone?" Bura smiled, "You want to have lunch with us instead?" Pan sighed and set her purse on the bar, "How about you go wake up prince charming and I'll make you guys a late breakfast?"

"We didn't sleep together!" Bura hissed blushing and Pan merely laughed, "I never said you did, Uncle Goten's a guy who'd wait on his wife." Bura's eyes widened and Pan pointed to the back, "Go on, I know where everything is."

Bura grinned sweetly and rushed back to her bedroom, "Who's it?" Pan heard Goten call and Bura plopped onto the bed smiling, "Pan, she's making a late breakfast for us." He went dead still, "Does she know I'm here?"

"Of course," she murmured. He sighed with relief then and nodded, "Good." Bura frowned, "Why would you ask?"

"I didn't think Pan knew about your liking me," he murmured, "Plus she's a loud mouth," he murmured and Bura eyed him, "She's as quiet as a mouse, and she's my best friend, so get your ass out of bed, she's making us food." She slipped off of the massive bed and walked out and he sighed before throwing the covers back and slinking out.

Pan was busy cooking up noodles when he walked in and she looked at him for a moment before going back to her work. "Pan?" he called and she looked at him again, her eyes were red showing lack of sleep and maybe tears and he looked at her before she smiled for him and nodded, "I'm okay, I just had to get up early," she reasoned. And then, once more, went back to her cooking.

"You sure? You're eyes are all-"

Bura's fingers caught a section of his butt and he squeaked. He looked at her glaring before she merely returned the same look, "Drop it," she mouthed.

She motioned him to take a seat at the table, poured him a cup of coffee and he tried a funny question. "So, Pan what was up with Trunks last night? He couldn't take his eyes off of you," Goten asked and Pan didn't look at him as she shrugged, "No clue."

"Hmm," Bura groused, "Couldn't be that you were smokin' it last night, how many numbers were offered to you?" Pan shied away from the conversation, "Did you have a good time Goten? That's all that really mattered right? It was your birthday right?" she asked side stepping the question.

He nodded, taking the bait and Bura rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I had a great time, especially after we went out," he added and Bura blushed as Pan eyed them, Goten kept his smile and then realized that his words could have a double meaning. He turned beet red and shook his head, "Not that anything happened, or-"

"Goten you better be glad I know you pretty well," Pan commented as she turned and strained the noodles. She poured them back into the pot and cut vegetables up before stirring them in and letting them steam for a few minutes before pouring some into bowls.

She set them out in front of Goten and Bura before she let herself take a seat, "I hope you like it," she murmured and Goten arched a brow, "You think I won't?"

"I've been told my cooking is terrible," she commented and Bura rolled her eyes, "Please your cooking it great."

Then her eyes widened the thought of a new topic, "Are you going to the King's Ball?" she asked then and Pan stiffened, "I think not, Eric will be there and I rather not run into him," she reasoned. "Eric?" Goten asked and Bura nodded, "Her ex-hubby."

And he dropped his fork along with his jaw.

"You were married?" he exclaimed and Pan frowned at his outburst, "Is it really that shocking?" she pondered smartly and he was taken aback by her smooth retort. "You married for money," he said, regaining his posture, and she arched a brow, "Unlike Trunks and Marron we married because we loved one another, and separated because we did not see eye to eye like we had thought."

He was shocked about how she was acting so calmly about the topic. Pan looked at her watched then, as if the topic were once again, nothing, "I'm visiting with your mother in about an hour to discuss the shoot, the film should be developed soon," she announced and Bura pouted, "I'm not allowed to see am I?" Pan grinned, "Nope, not until October when the issue comes out."

"What's that all about?" Goten pondered and Bura winked, "Your niece is gonna be on the cover of CC's next issue," she announced with glee and Goten arched a brow, "You?" he asked and Pan nodded, "Yeah, shocking isn't it?" Pan asked sarcastically. And then her phone rang, she frowned picked it up and flipped it open, "Hello, Son Pan speaking," she answered.

"Where is he?!" someone yelled and she winced while Bura's eyes went wide, "Who is that?" she whispered, Pan looked at the caller ID and her eyes widened before she moaned, "Marron," she hissed. She brought the phone a few inches from her ear, "Where is who?"

"TRUNKS!" she exclaimed and Pan laughed, "I don't know where he is, he left with you not me so get off my back you lousy skank." And with that she hung up and Bura's wide eyes suddenly turned wider with laughter. "I can-cannot believe you jus-just said that!" she laughed and Pan eyed her, "I hate that woman, she drives me insane, how'd she get my number anyways?" she groused.

Goten's laughter sounded then and they looked at him, "What?" Pan murmured, "You guys sound like kids," he laughed and Pan arched a brow, "Yeah, yeah, ha, ha very funny, but you got me a better idea than to tell her off?" she retorted and with that he shut his lips.

She nodded and laughed herself then, "I thought so." Her phone rang again and she looked at it with an angry face before her gaze widened, "Trunks," she announced and Bura's face went blank.

"Are you going to pick up?" Goten asked and she slipped her phone open, "Hello, Son Pan speaking," she stated cautiously, "You told Marron that we were together?" he asked solemnly and Pan arched a brow her anger flaring and yet she kept her voice calm, "I most certainly did not, she asked if I knew where you were I told her you're her problem and not mine that she should figure it out on her own and sum it up," she explained smartly. "Is that the nice way of saying you told her off?" he countered and she nodded, "Yes, now is there anything else you want to say to me?"

"Don't tell her we spoke," he murmured and then with a click he was gone. Pan snapped her phone shut once more looked at it before she stood, walked out onto the balcony and threw it out into the water. She stepped back inside seeing her friend's shocked faces and shrugged, "What? I need a new phone, I don't want to talk to either one of them," she reasoned.

Pan sighed and held back a light yawn as she walked into Bulma's home. She glanced around, heard a voice in the kitchen and stepped inside finding Bulma squawking on the telephone. She looked back at Pan, made a simple wave and in a few moments said her goodbyes and hung up the phone.

"I tried calling you to see if you wanted anything to eat," she started out and looked at Pan, then arched a brow, "But your face says you aren't hungry and don't want to be bothered."

"Your son called me right after his fiancée did, I threw it into the lake," she murmured and Bulma smiled, "Good choice."

"So how was your lunch with Bura and Goten?" Pan merely laughed, "You say you don't know where I am and then already know that I was at Bura's it's no wonder Trunks and Vegeta find you confusing," she joked and Bulma arched a brow, "With seeing Trunks so much these past few days you must already be used to saying his name," she commented and Pan sighed, "Of course," she agreed, for there was no use in arguing with Bulma, especially when she was right.

Bulma took a seat at the small table in the kitchen setting out a cup of tea for Pan as she took a seat as well, "So we need to get your f ace into the public," Bulma commented and Pan went dead still, "You're kidding me right?" Bulma shook her head, "Oh heavens no, if I'm going to stop my son's marriage to that horrible girl I must get you more popular than her," she stated firmly, "The rumors have already started that they're going to split," she stated as she crossed her hands and Pan stretched her arms over her head, "I'm out of ideas for you, I work behind the scenes you know that," she reasoned.

"You have to make yourself known, and you have to go out and meander with people," Bulma commented and Pan sighed knowing she had just thought of something, "When?"

"The King's Court Ball, next weekend, you need a date, a name and-"

"A date? Who am I going to find as a date?!" she exclaimed. And then she sighed, "I just talked with Bura about this, I really don't want to go this year." And as if on cue, Vegeta stepped into the kitchen and Bulma grinned, "Hi sweetheart," she catcalled and he paused, "What do you want woman?" he groused and Pan laughed nervously, "Vegeta? He doesn't even know how to dance let alone show off a woman!" Pan exclaimed and he arched a brow at her, "I know how to dance," he growled lowly and Bulma smiled, "One of the many things taught to him," she commented.

Pan eyed them as Bulma walked to him and smiled a cheesy smile, "Come on, he'll be perfect."

"Perfect for what?" he demanded and Bulma smiled to him, "Pan needs a date for the King's Ball and who better than the Prince of Saiyans?" she milked out, stroking his ego. He paused looked at Pan and arched a brow at Bulma, "I pick out her dress," he ordered and then walked out.

Bulma's jaw dropped, "What?" she screeched chasing after him and Pan merely laughed at the thought of Vegeta picking out a dress and followed after the two. Vegeta walked through the huge living room, in through a hallway and guided them into Bulma's room without warning and Bulma eyed him placing her hands on her hips, "And just what dress did you have in mind?" she snapped.

He walked into her closet, knowing everything was color coordinated and went straight for the black dresses. He looked through them, paused and pulled one out and Bulma's eyes widened, "I never even wore that," she murmured and Vegeta nodded, "The dragon was too masculine for you," he groused and then walked over to Pan pressing the dress to her.

Bulma nodded and Pan stood there with an awkward look as Vegeta merely tossed it over her head and looked at Bulma, "Cut the slits higher, and pull the waistline," he growled before disappearing and Pan pulled the dress off of her, "Did he really just say that?"

"How about we not mention it to anyone?" Bulma stated just as thoroughly shocked as she.

Pan walked into the Capsule Corporation's main building in the early morning heading for the gym. Most of the men and women that worked here never used the facility, always claiming that there was too much chaos there in the building and most too lazy to get up early or too in with themselves to stay after few a mere hour.

She walked down the deserted hallways, hearing no one but maybe a few souls walking about in the building as she came upon the door that would lead her into the gym. Compared to the building and for the size it was the gym was massive for the few that used it.

There was a back door and she knew exactly what it was, a simulated gravity room and she headed straight for it after grabbing a few dumbbells and walking off. The door was poorly marked and she knew the reason why, Trunks didn't want anyone to kill themselves and she slipped the door open, leaving her bag by the door as she fully stepped inside and shut the door.

She craned her neck and stretched for a moment before deciding to go right into the extreme workout. She flipped the dial to one hundred, pressed a few buttons and suddenly the firm weight pressed her down and she heaved in a heavy sigh before dropping to the floor and pressing herself into push up after push up.

She continued it this way, working with only her body's muscles and what it had to give her before she lifted up, completed set after set of crunching and caught up the dumbbells setting them on her collarbone as she crunched her chin up to her knees.

For being a working woman she always found time to run through a workout routine, no matter what. It was something she enjoyed doing and something she'd gotten used to since she had left home, it was her stress reliever and there were many days where she'd rouse Vegeta out of a mood and have him beat her in with some training she desperately needed both physically and mentally as well as emotionally.

He was one of the few men in her life that had seen her tears more than a handful of times. When it came to Vegeta it was easier to sob and let herself go because she knew he wouldn't scoff at her because once too, he'd been just as lost as she had been.

Until Bulma gave him and chance and suddenly he had fallen for the brazen beauty that commanded him not to press himself too hard and when he had she'd waited on him to heal only to watch him go, much like Pan had done with Trunks.

At that thought she growled and pressed herself harder, grumbling. When she was in a mood, it always felt better to work out because then she was doing something better for herself. She felt the sweat dripping off of her chin and as she panted for a good breath she continued to push herself.

She looked down at her watch and saw the pressure slowly cause the quartz to crack and she knew then she'd been in the room for over an hour and a half and she still needed to get dressed and make it seem as though her body wouldn't be sore from the strenuous work routine.

She lifted herself up, stretched and finally walked to the controls and slipped them off and felt the sweet cool air seep into the room and she took in a deep breath, wiped her face with a towel and took a look out into the gym once again finding no one before she quietly slipped out and walked towards the showers.

"Did you have a good work out?"

She stopped dead, whipped around and found Trunks standing behind her his eyes unemotional but curious as to why she was here in the building and she shrugged, "Like always, I push and push and can never get anywhere," she retorted smartly.

Then swung her bag over her shoulder and began walking across the matting to get to the showers and he appeared before her with hard eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?" She stopped, her eyes looked him over and flicked up to look at him through long lashes.

"Only that I wish I could work under different stances," she reasoned, "I would be training if not for this job."

"Then quit," he said simply and she smiled for him, "It's not that easy, I made a deal with the devil you call your mother and I can't break it." He stepped closer and she took a step away, her bag dropped to the floor and he arched a brow, "Afraid of me?" he asked and she laughed, "Never."

"You shouldn't have said that," he growled and suddenly he threw his fist out and she placed herself in a fighting position before her foot connected with his jaw and she thrust a firm hand into his chest knocking him back.

She didn't want him touching her let alone coming near her at all. He stumbled back and his wide eyes looked at her and she remained as she was, "Did you think I wouldn't defend myself?" she asked sternly and he pulled his trench coat off as well as his dress coat before loosening his tie and forming a stance.

"Fine," he murmured and her eyes narrowed, "No energy blasts," he added and she rolled her eyes, "I'm not stupid like you and Goten were," she growled and suddenly charged at him, he blocked her attacks before as she grinned then and dropped down, throwing her foot out to catch his feet knocking him onto his back he let out a groan.

"Shit," he cursed, while she shot up and pranced about him, "You knew about that?" he asked and she nodded, "Your sister told me that you and Goten blew up the gym here," she commented and he flipped up ready for more abuse.

"You fight often?" he pondered and she shook her head, "Not for a long time, I had to maintain a positive image," she groused and as he attacked she blocked him, her knee came up and he caught it, 

"You just gonna be soft on me?" he taunted and she laughed, "Are you going to do the same?" she countered.

He took his chance when she glanced behind him and threw a harsh fist into her stomach and she doubled over his fist, his eyes went wide, no expecting her to take the attack. He went dead still as she stumbled back hunched over.

"Pan," he began and she suddenly threw a hard fist into his face with a smile while blood dripped from her lip. She bit down on it when he'd socked a fist to her gut. He let out a hard sigh and she smiled, "That easy enough for you?" she growled at him.

And then her eyes flicked down to her watch and she stiffened seeing the sun begin to rise from behind the far mountains. "Shit," she cursed and as Trunks took his standing she turned away, "You running away?" he snapped and she stopped before quite suddenly she was in front of him, she curled a leg around the back of his knees and dropped him to the floor. She pinned him there with her knees at his shoulders and arched a brow, "I would never run away from a fight with you, but some things are more important," she corrected harshly before she stood, caught up her bag and left him.

Trunks watched as she disappeared into the showers and let his head drop to the mat. Dammit, he thought, I miss her. He lifted up his hand, the one that had punched her, and sighed feeling it throbbing. He'd hurt her and she wasn't going to let him see her fail against him. He slowly stood feeling his joints crack from an activity he hadn't done in a long time.

He leaned down and picked up his jackets before walking over to the door of the women's showers, "Pan?" he called, no answer, "Pan!"

"What?!" she spat. She stood in front of one of the mirrors looking over her stomach finding a perfect impression of his hand and as she sighed she bit back a moan, she looked down at it and grazed light fingers along it before suddenly a hand touched her shoulder and she whipped around.

He stood there with his eyes worried and she eyed him, dropping her shirt, "What are you doing in here? This is a ladies room!" she hissed as she shoved him to the door, he caught her wrist and stopped her, "Are you alright?"

Her eyes widened and she pulled away from him, "I'll be fine," and turned away, "Pan," he began, "You can't pretend like you're not hurt."

"I can pretend just like you can," she countered, he glared at her through the reflection in the mirror, "That's childish it's just like saying-"

She faced him then and arched a brow, "Saying what? I can if you can?" His mouth pressed shut and she nodded, "Well get the picture Trunks," she stated as she pressed two fingers to his jawline and he winced feeling pain rip up through his face, "It was an eye for an eye," she stated.

He finally looked at himself and saw his jaw swelling and she turned away, "Get out I need to get ready for work." He stiffened at her command but saw how she'd bowed her head to look into her bag and saw the awkward angle she held it at to show she didn't care. But he knew he well enough, she was crying.

He went to say something and then his emotion get on him, and he left without another word, little did he know that would be the last time he'd see her until the Ball.

Pan looked at herself in the mirror only a mere few days later, standing in a long dress, that held a small train in the back, with the corset that had been sewn into it, curved her hourglass figure even more and with the massive green dragon that curled about the dress had her looking tall and refreshed from the past few tiring days.

Bulma walked into the reflection of the mirror and smiled at her, "Tonight's the night!" she murmured, "You'll make Trunks stop in his tracks when he sees you," she stated and Pan forced a smile, that's what I'm afraid of, she thought. "Where is this place being held?" she asked and Bulma smiled, "Bura's beach mansion, perfect setting don't you think?"

The front door slid open and shut and Bura stood there with Goten while he father appeared behind them dressed neatly in a tuxedo. Bulma blushed and smiled for him, "You look nice sweetheart," she called out and he gently pulled at his collar. "The car's ready, let's go," he groused and all five lined up and courted themselves out.

Vegeta caught Pan's hand and helped her into the low limousine before Goten did the same for Bura and Bulma, until he also stepped inside and took a quiet seat. For no one knew why Pan was truly doing this, they thought it was all a publicity stunt when truthfully it wasn't in her favor at all.

It was to stop Trunks from marrying Marron.

Bulma had come to her with a proposal to stop Trunks and at first she had said a definite no, she wanted nothing to do with the man that she'd loved and lost. But when her career began to become involved and she noted how facing her fears of the public would move it along she offered herself to Bulma for her every beck and call.

She thought she'd been strong enough to face her fear of seeing Trunks once more, but though her mind said she was tactfully prepared, the ice that surrounded her heart, had begun to slowly melt away leaving her emotional and dethatched from her normal self.

Bura had noticed it, she knew that, but Bura didn't know the extent of her mother's and Pan's plans to invade the marriage and pull the train to a long hard halt. She peered out the window, not 

realizing that her companions had chatted all the way to the mansion while she remained at a quiet standstill in their conversations, but as they slipped out of the car and Vegeta's eyes caught hers she knew he'd been watching her the entire time.

He was fighter prepared for the battle, the only problem was, that this was a raging war that for once, no one had any control over. Over the past few weeks emotions had been stirred, eyes faltered, gazes looked and mere breezes of hands touching one another, or shoulders brushing were considered an attempt to get closer to someone.

She bowed her head as they walked in, Goten took Bura upon one arm and Bulma onto another as he guided them inside and in that very moment Pan could think of only two people as her arm curled up around Vegeta's.

Her father. Her mother, oh, how she missed them so and was too ashamed to return home to tell them that her father had been right all along, Trunks would never love her, and though her mother had hoped he would he hadn't. Her mother knew Trunks since he'd been a child and she knew how caring and considerate he could've been as an adult, but once society stuck a thorn in his side there was no room for love, there was no room for caring or sensitivity to the public, he was an ice cold business man like he had allowed society and the world shaped him to become.

They stepped into the calling line and she fumbled a bit in her heels, but Vegeta's strong hand cupped the small of her back, firming her stance and providing her shelter from the cold stares that she received.

She knew not why the people around her looked at her so harshly, or why they scoffed as she passed and then she thought f only one reason, Marron had called her name in a poor manner. And she looked around lost, until Vegeta covered her hand with his.

She looked at him, he smiled before it disappeared and spoke kind words to her, something he did not do often. "Pan, you'll be fine, you've got me and Bulma here," he reasoned and then a wave of relief washed over her for a brief moment before they walked up to the caller.

Vegeta stated their names and suddenly they were announced.

"Ms. Son Pan and Mr. Briefs," they called and she curled her hand around it her fingers jittering along his jacket's sleeve. He covered her hand with his once more and whispered to her, "You're fine," he reasoned and she felt her heart slow its beating and calm against her ribs.

Vegeta, he'd been there for her when her father had all but banished her from their home when she had admitted she loved Trunks and would love him no matter what her father spat at her. Those words she'd spoken so brazenly and so boldly placed her out of a home and it had been Vegeta and Bulma she'd ran to for shelter, Vegeta gave her a home and training where her grandfather was gone and her father uncaring and bitter to her.

And as he guided her down the stairs pulling her along her thoughts left, her happiness dwindled to a mere drop as then she felt _his_ eyes.

Trunks eyes were watching her and piercing her and as she went to look about Vegeta caught a smooth hand long her spine sending a tingle up her back, "Don't," was all he said and she faced him. Her eyes met his and he smiled for her, "Why do you think Bulma told me to be here?" he asked then and she suddenly realized why, he could support her when need be where as it would look odd of Bulma was.

Vegeta knew Bulma just as well as she did, she made that point very clear back at her home only a few days ago. And like before he would help her step back out into the world with a firm stance behind her.

They walked to their table took a seat and Pan saw Bura's eyes wide with happiness as she looked at Goten, "isn't this exciting?" she pondered and Goten laughed nervously. Bura frowned and looked at him, "Are you okay?"

"I'm not quite used to this," he reasoned and she took it the wrong way, "Well if you were going to complain why'd you come," she demanded and Goten smoothly replied, "Because I want to be with you no matter what I have to go through," he replied gently and her harsh gaze softened, "Goten," 

she whispered and he smiled, blushed and laughed once more, "What? I told you I'd wait for you if I needed to, so if you need to, go off and leave me, but I'll still be here."

Pan looked at Vegeta then saw his face unemotional and looking at the dance floor. Her eyes found Marron and Trunks making their way over to the table and she stood and smiled for the table, "Does anyone want a drink? I'll get them," she offered and Bura smiled, "Don't worry about it. You don't have to work for us tonight."

But Vegeta stood and stepped closer to Pan murmuring at her, "Are you going to run?" She nodded, "Yes," she admitted. "I don't want to be here," she whispered, "I can't do this, I don't know how to live in the limelight," she listed off reasons until quite suddenly Vegeta caught her hand, placed a firm touch to the small of her back and guided her out to the dance floor.

"Calm down," he growled. He swung her around into his arms looked up at his wife and Pan followed his gaze catching the small nod Bulma gave him until Vegeta, pulled her close and lead her along with the sombrous beat and sway of the music. Her body was stiff, unaccustomed to the swaying his body did and as she finally fell into the beat his hand guided her and had her body move with him.

"Where did you-"

"Bulma wasn't lying when I was taught," he murmured, she looked at him saw his gaze harsh, but saw the understanding he held in his eyes. She bowed her head feeling her emotions catch a tight grip on her heart, "I don't think I can run from him any longer," she admitted gently.

"Then why don't you show him how much he missed out? I know Bulma had you take dancing lessons," he offered and her head snapped up to look at him, "I couldn't possibly…with you," she murmured and he nodded, "Of course you can why do you think that woman offered me to you?"

Her eyes widened, "You mean she planned this?!" she hissed and he merely chuckled smugly, "You think I would do this without complaining?" he asked and her eyes widened, "You're being paid off?" she asked brokenly, and he scowled at her, "No, I offered to show you off to that idiot son of mine."

She felt tears burn her eyes, "I rather just sway with you," she murmured, "Reminds me of how my father used to dance with me when I was a child." He laughed, a deep chuckle and she arched a brow, "What?"

"I couldn't possibly imagine you nerd of a father dancing," he reasoned and her eye went wide before laughter erupted from her throat and past her lips, "Thank you," she murmured then and he nodded. They danced like that for moments that he knew she'd hold dear. It wasn't very often a man treated her kindly, without thinking she was a business dominatrix.

And their bubble was broken as a gentle tap was given to Vegeta's shoulder and Pan's misted eyes looked up at their intruder, they went wide and Vegeta faced their visitor.

"Eric," she whispered. He smiled for her held out his hand and she looked back at Vegeta before he let her go and stepped away. "Your date allows you off the hook rather easily," he commented and she smiled as Vegeta walked to Bulma's side and remained there, "He's my boss's husband," she announced and his eyes widened, "What?"

"Dance with me," she said giving him and different subject, "Dance with me like we had in college," she reasoned as he reached for her. His gaze narrowed, "Pan, my entire work staff is here along with the board of your company and the President of Capsule Corp, plus-"

"Then dance with me like we had when we were married," and then he paused, looked at her and looked back at Trunks, "You're showing yourself off," he accused and Pan merely smiled for him, "What's it to you?" He shrugged, smiled and pulled her closer, "Nothing, only that now I have reason to show you off, you must have had a few drinks to pull this off," he countered and her gaze brightened, "No strings," he murmured, "just like old times."

She almost cackled with laughter, "You mean that's how you are still?" she pondered and he arched a knowing brow then as he pulled her closer she leaned into him, as if planned to, going with the music. "You think I don't know what you two are planning?" she asked and he went dead still before she pressed herself closer causing him to take a dance step back.

His blue eyes looked at her and she tilted her head to the side, "I won't tell a soul, but you have your own money, and you had your first wife, why would you go after Marron? What's so great about her?" he laughed nervously before grinning like the fool he was being, "She's hot, and I don't have to get emotionally attached to her cause she's getting married."

"She believes you love her, much like I thought you had loved me," she countered and he chuckled ruefully as he swung her out only to pull her close once more. "Is that so?" She pulled him close as he dipped her and then she felt him. "I did love you though," he murmured and she bowed her head, "Everyone knows you did," she retorted.

"But you never believed I did," he commented and she sighed, "No, I knew you did, but I knew you deserved someone who loved you more than I could, and I knew that I had to let you go." He pulled her closer and held her to him, cupping the back of her head and with a heavy sigh she leaned further into him letting her curves touch his strong features.

He held her like she was his again, as if she belonged to him when she was no longer his. It was true that they had loved each other, even married once another, but they were never meant to have a family with the ever awkward feeling of her love for Trunks looming over them.

She stiffened looked back up at Eric and he frowned, "What is it?"

"I can feel him watching us," she whispered and he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek before pulling away, "You know, but you won't tell," he commented and she shook her head, "I may, because I still love him," she admitted gently.

His eyes widened and he pulled her to a corner his eyes narrowed, "What?" he hissed she bowed her head shamefully, "Eric I can't hide myself anymore," she reasoned and he shook her, "But he pushed you, he's the one who-"

"I know, and you were the one there for me, Eric I can't play around like I had when we were married, I want to be a first wife again," she said and he shook his head, "Trunks Briefs won't break for any woman, you know that, especially after Marron has thrown him through a wringer."

"Then why do you love her?" she countered and he smiled for her, "I never said I did," he countered and then kissed the palm of her hand and sighed, "I know our marriage wasn't a good one, but I cared for you, you must know that, I don't want you to get hurt again by him."And with that he sighed once more and left her.

Pan found Vegeta watching her and saw his eyes flick to the door and she knew then Trunks was coming towards her. She walked, hurrying along the crease of the crowd and made it out onto the veranda that lead to her private suite until a harsh hand caught her.

"You're not running away from me this time."

He caught up her arm and she easily ripped away from him, "Le-let go of me!" she demanded as she freed herself. She pulled away from him and took a comfortable and far step away from him, "Don't touch me," she murmured as he went to grab at her again. She shook her head and eyed him, "What is your problem I was only having dinner with a friend," she reasoned and he nodded, "Right that's exactly what he was, a friend," he snapped and she crossed her arms across her chest and cocked a hip.

"What you think we're acting like you and Marron does? A fake proposed couple?" His eyes went wide, "How did you-"

"I'm not an idiot Trunks I can figure two and two together, so would you stop pestering me and focus on what is more important to you?"

"You think money is more important than you are to me?" He stiffened as his words fell from his lips, "Pan," he began she rolled her eyes, "Don't expect me to make the same mistake twice, you cared more about money then just like you do now. And I don't care." With the way her words were put so bluntly and her eyes so hard he felt himself losing her, even though he'd already lost her once before.

He watched her go without fighting her and knew he didn't stand a chance to that mouth of hers, those lips could speak words that sat him so straight he couldn't move.

"Then who was that?" he said trying to keep her as she was.

"Who was who?" she countered sheepishly, "That man, Eric Fontenot?" he ordered."What about Eric?" she snapped harshly. "I don't like him," he commented and she cocked a hip arching a brow, "Well he's none of your concern," she advised him and went to turn away until his next words caused her to stop in her steps.

"He looks at you like you're a woman," he growled and she arched a smart brow looking back at him, "Of course he does," she spat, "I am his ex-wife, and am I not womanly enough to be considered one?" she countered and he stiffened, "Pan I didn't mean it like that," he reasoned and then eh stiffened, "You're…you were Mrs. Fontenot? The praised American's wife?"

She shook her head, "I know all too well of what you mean Mr. Briefs and I don't think it should be any of your concern. My affairs are strictly my own business not yours nor are they anyone else's. And if anything you're right, he is of your concern, but not when it comes to me," he frowned at her words, unknowing by what she meant and Brak popped up behind her with a worried look.

"Pan?" She faced Brak and smiled for him, "Yes?"

"Can I speak to you in private?" She frowned then, but nodded, "Of course."

He curled an arm about her waist and cornered her off from Trunks as he watched with close eyes as Brak said something that didn't sit right with her. She shook her head and then nodded before she looked away and tried not to cry. His eyes widened as the young man cupped her face and she moved away from him, she smiled brokenly shook her head and left the scene leaving Brak standing there alone and awkward not knowing what to do with himself.

Trunks saw her begin to disappear up the stairs leading to her temporary room and he followed after her. He found her in spare room thinking to herself before he took in a deep breath and spoke to her.

"What happened back there?"

"He's moving to America with his son, he'll have a better job there and Jas will have better schooling," she stated monotonically. Trunks felt his heart ache for her, "Pan I know you cared for the kid," he began and she shook her head, "What does it matter to you anyways?" she snapped and he stiffened, "If it has anything to do with you, it has to do with me," he reasoned gently and she shook her head, "My life is of no concern of yours so just go away."

"Why won't you allow yourself to at least talk with me?" he demanded and she whipped around glaring at him, "Because to talk with someone is getting to know them, which causes feeling, emotion, a sense of relating with them and I couldn't possibly stand trying to get to know you again after what I've already been through with you. So please," her gaze begged him now, her tears swam in her eyes and she pleaded with him, "Please just go home and leave me alone."

He sighed, stepped to her, and leaned into her height knowing she would fight him, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and nodded, "I am sorry for everything I've done wrong to you," he whispered, "I only wish I could give you the feelings of how much regret and repentance I've suffered for harming you."

He turned away then, left her and before he slipped the bedroom door shut he heard the first sob leave her body and rattle her to the floor. He heard her cries and knew she would merely become violent with him if he went back into her home and tried to comfort her.

After being alone for so long he knew all too well what it was like to fend for oneself point of being. But he knew then as much as he knew now, that their beings were meant for one another and he'd ruined it with only a few words.

He knew now that she was no longer the young woman he had hoped her to become, he had been the catalyst, for her downfall, with a failed marriage and fame and glory, some things were never meant to be for those who wanted only a simple life of marriage and family.

After that night he didn't speak with her for days, it was almost two weeks before he saw her again, sitting at her office in the main building of the CC and he walked to her office concerned. He knocked, she didn't reply merely opened the door and looked at him unemotionally.

"Can I help you?" she asked monotonically, he looked at her, saw her red rimmed eyes and mourned for her, "Pan," he began, "Ms. Son," she corrected and he wanted anything but for her to correct him. "Ms. Son," he bit out, "Yes, Mr. Briefs?" she pondered rather bitter sweetly and he sighed before shaking his head, "Nothing, never mind," he reasoned and went on his way.

He looked back at her, saw her eyes swollen and red and turned his back to her. He would never let her know that he loved her, that he had ever loved her. He looked down at his watch and found the, time of his marriage to be a mere twenty-four hours away, a full day that he would be unable to sleep let alone think.

He took another look back at Pan and found her slipping the sign on her door to vacation and his eyes narrowed, she never took vacation days, but as she sauntered out of the office, he knew she wanted to be left alone.

He sighed, ran his hands through his hair and craned his neck as she turned into an elevator and saw him watching her, her gaze widened, before her head bowed and she shown no shame as she pressed a button and bowed her head to cry.

Her tears fell and he felt his legs chase after her then, he watched the elevator roll its way down to the lobby and he lunged over the railing even with all the people watching. He ran for her, and she must have heard him coming because once he reached the outside where he'd last caught glimpse of her, she was gone.

She disappeared within a blink of an eye. He sighed and threw a fist into the air before a single drop of moisture fell to his face and he looked up. A mere glimpse of a black form, and then the heaven's broke to let rain water fall.

Pan panted for a good breath as she hid in the car port, she'd left all her work belongings at the office not wanting to take them with her, knowing they would do no good in her home for the next week.

Then the sorrowful wave of the thought that Trunks was getting married to that wretched woman came. And more sobs racked her body. She covered her face with her hands and fell to her knees before she let out a wail.

"You're so stupid!" she yelled, "You stupid, stupid girl!" She cursed herself for being so naïve and so tenderhearted, and wanted nothing more than to be the hard woman she'd been only a few weeks before. After so many times of telling herself her heart was no longer broken she found her mind had lied to her heart when it told her to rationally give up hope.

She stood then, her tears now spent on her sudden outburst and she walked on, deciding to walk home because of the rain, and then a fearful thought rose in the back of her head, what if she drove as fast as she could, for as long as she could, and crashed?

Then an idea sprung and she flew to the skies out of anger and frustration. She flew for as long as she could and for as far as she could until the sky froze up, and her blood ran still until finally and ever so slowly she stopped, and began falling, this was her high, only she had pushed herself to the heavens.

She had once done this before and it had been exhilarating, but at that very moment she knew she was become unconscious and my not regain her sight of the Earth coming closer and closer as she plummeted to its crust.

She felt her eyes roll into the back of her head, her arms became numb and her mind blacked out as she fell. She did not feel the arms that caught her, did not know when someone pulled her close and warmed her chilled bones. Only when she fell into a mass of cushions and bedding did she know that she was home.

Pan's eyes slipped open and she went dead still finding herself in her room, with no one else, she sensed no one else in her home either, as she slowly stepped out of her bed and walked out. She remembered her actions yesterday and knew she had fallen without regretting it. But strong arms had caught her up, and brought her home and as she walked into her kitchen she knew then who had caught her.

Her father's and mother's wedding photo sat in front of a bowl filled with soup and already steamed coffee and she vaguely remembered voices murmuring while she slept. She felt her tears fall then and she sobbed covering her face, ashamed of the treacherous woman she'd become.

And as she finally gathered herself, she warmed the soup, sipped at the tea and knew then she would spend the day crying over what she was too afraid to fight for. Her tears fell as she took a seat into her loveseat and flipped on the television while Trunks's marriage was to be aired live.

Her tears all fell and she had no one to see.

Just like always.

Trunks fidgeted in his tuxedo as his mother walked in and he ignored her. She went to help him and he whipped away from her saying only a few words, "I cannot believe you would be so manipulative," he growled and she frowned.

"Well, I'm sorry, but someone had to prove to you that she didn't love you!" she snapped and he glared at her, "I could care less about Marron or myself, but what about Pan? She did all that work for you, and yet here you are doing nothing about it, she's wretched now." Bulma's eyes widened at the realization and she shook with a silent anger, "Well it's not my fault if you hadn't broken her heart in the first place you wouldn't be getting married now anyways!" she accused and with that she left him.

His wide eyes watched her go and he threw his fist through the reflection that looked back at him. The glass shattered about him and he sighed before it formed into a growl.

He glanced around for something to throw and when he came upon the table his hands curled around its edge before he stopped. He looked at the magazine that sat at the table and felt his anger rise as he saw Pan at the front cover, wearing that pencil skirt and tight vest that revealed far too much cleavage. She was leaning over a car engine with one leg bent along the fender while she made a pouting face. She held jumper cables to the battery and couldn't look anymore seductive.

She had done that to get his attention away from Marron, but he hadn't taken note of it.

How ironic that the issue would come out the day of his marriage. He didn't bother to look through it, after all he knew what the pictures looked like, knew the exact expression she'd have and tossed it to his desk just as his dressing room door swung open. He looked up finding his sister her eyes wide, hair ruffled and expression exasperated.

"Have you read this article?!" she exclaimed and he eyed her, "No," he groused and her eyes went wider, "You mean you don't know," Bura whispered. "Don't know what?" snapped, "That she practically confessed herself to you!" she exclaimed.

She ripped the copy she had open and threw the article into his face, "When asked about Mr. Briefs of Capsule Corporation, the young woman blushed saying that the two had been good friends when she'd been younger, but she was unsure of anything else. I have, however, with the help of his mother tried breaking the vows he has towards the highly acclaimed fashion diva Marron," His sister quoted the words and he looked over the article before his eyes widened at the further information containing himself and Pan's relationship, "but with prevail he still will marry her in due time even through his mother and mine both tries to stop it."

"Mother had no idea she was going to confess, I didn't even know what she was up to," Bura whispered with astonishment. His eyes widened as he continued his search through the words and rolled the magazine up before walking to his door. Bura ran after him her eyes wider, "Where are you going?!" she demanded softly as she chased him down the hallway towards the elevator leading out of the hotel.

"I need to see her," he murmured and Bura shook her head, "She's not in the office, she took a leave of absence, she hasn't been feeling well."

He frowned, "She's at home?" She nodded, "Gohan found her," she murmured and his eyes widened, "Doing what?" She remained silent and shrugged, "I don't know."

"That's even better," he growled sarcastically. He went to leave and she caught his arm, "You can't go through the front, the cameras will all see you!"

"The more the better," he snapped.

Pan poured tea into a cup and sighed as her throat felt sorer than ever, begging for the warmth from the cup and she coughed. She had gotten sick from being in the sky and now was paying a dear price for staying out all night in the wet weather.

"This true?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin. She whipped around and found Trunks standing behind her holding up CC's October issue.

"How did you get in here?" she whispered, "The window," he retorted harshly.

She felt her heart skipping as he quoted from the magazine, "Mr. Briefs has been a long time friend of mine, and although he's difficult, I care for him greatly," he quoted."Why did you not tell me?" he asked and then she finally saw the broken look in his eyes, but only a few words noted from her lips, "Because you have Marron and I had said it to you before, why wouldn't I?" Her voice was husky from her cold and he found that she couldn't sound any more seductive than in that very moment.

"And you tried stopping me?" he asked, "When does that fall into play?" he growled and she shook her head, "It doesn't," her words were a harsh rasp from her lips, "I found I did not want to stop you from ruining your life, if anyone was going to, you had to do it on your own."

And with those words she turned and walked away before he could see the tears welling in her eyes. She heard his footsteps follow after her and knew exactly when his hand would pinch a hold on her arm and swing her around and as these actions took place he shook her, "I'm getting tired of you turning away from me," he whispered.

"You used to do the same," she whispered right back, "Do you know how many times you showed your back to me and never looked me straight in the eye," she made it a statement and not a question, "So I turned away from you. You wanted nothing to do with me and now..."

"Now?" he pressed, her broken laughter sounded and she cupped her hand to his cheek, "I've given up hope, and I'm too tired to love anyone. I go home alone Trunks and I don't know what I would do if I had to change that now, I was so ready to love and marry and just go on with a normal's woman life and now I don't want any of it. I've fallen into a routine much like you have."

He felt his heart breaking while her touch left him and he caught her hand, "So that's how you see it? Your life is merely a routine?" he pulled his touch away from her and eyed her, "Pan, I've seen you change lives and place smiles on faces of those I never thought would smile anymore, you've mended your father's heart just as much as you've broken mine and I don't know what else to tell you other than why? Why didn't you speak up sooner?"

"I had spoken sooner! But it was I'm busy, this isn't right, you shouldn't be here, what would your father say? Or here's the best part, I don't want a kid just out of school who knows nothing about love," she hissed right back, "I got tired of you telling me excuses, so what if I got married and tried having a lifestyle I wanted? What have you got to show for all those years? Money? A cold wife who doesn't love you at all? Cars, fame and fortune? Trunks you have nothing and I want nothing to do with that, so get out and go home to your so-called wonderful life."

"If you got married then why did you leave him?" he pressed and she stiffened. "I left because he wanted the upper hand and never thought I would be as hundred times stronger than him." Trunks's eyes widened, "You mean he tried-"

"Never, I was richer, stronger and had more influence, what kind of man would want that in a woman? He left me because he knew I still loved you! Trunks just go away." His eyes widened and she bowed her head with a heavy sigh, "Please," she begged.

"Is that why you're so afraid of me?" he demanded chasing after her, he caught her shoulder and pulled her towards him, "You know I would never-"

"Trunks," she repeated, "I'm not afraid of you just get out."

He growled then and merely hauled her up to kiss her. She went as stiff as a ramrod and he forced himself to pull away, "Shut up," he growled, "Just shut the hell up and let me just tell you how beautiful you are. How much of an idiot I was, and how much I am still in love with you." She gaped at him and struggled, "Wha-" Her tears fell and he couldn't handle it, "Did you just expect me to fall into your arms and tell you I loved you?"

"Well-"

"Get out, just get out!" she cried. "Go marry your perfect bride and get your money and just leave me alone," she spat. "But Pan-"

"I don't want you! I don't want to worry that you're with someone else! I don't want to be that broken woman that I was and I don't want to be alone." She said her words so quickly he didn't have time to react and easily took a cautious step back, "Pan," he whispered and she shook her head, "Just go."

And he pulled her close, "I'm not leaving you." She cried and he merely held her close, telling her his apologies, wishing he hadn't been the stupid man he'd been those years ago.

She covered her face with her hands and sobbed, "Why?" she whispered, "Why do I feel so miserable even though you're here?"

"Because you hate me, because I hurt you," he whispered, he cupped her face and went to kiss her before he stiffened, "You're burning up," he observed and she nodded, "I got myself sick," she snapped. "Doing what?"

"Flying." And his eyes went wide, 'Gohan found her', "You tried to fly out," he whispered and she blushed merely nodding, admitting her attempt.

She felt light-headed then and he lifted her up, carrying her to her room. He laid her out and she felt over crowded, he leaned in close and she moaned, "Please," she whispered, "leave me alone." And only then did she realize what he wore, a black tuxedo and dress shirt, with a black bow tie, and her eyes went wide, "You came from the wedding," she accused and he smiled brokenly for her, "It's a good thing you're weak," he murmured, "and I didn't come from a wedding, I came before it." And she felt her tears finally fall in front of him. "You did stop."

And those were the last words she said as she drifted off to a deep sleep.

Pan awoke to the smell of clean laundry and fresh breakfast and slowly slipped out of her bed wondering who was causing the commotion in her home. She came upon Trunks cooking and her wide eyes watched him in disbelief.

She stumbled, feeling light headed still and he faced her before setting the pan he held down and walking to her, "You alright?" he asked and she looked at him, he wore his dress shirt still, unbuttoned to his collarbone, his hair pulled back and he smiled for her.

"Are you really here?" she heard herself ask before the phone rang.

She turned and looked at it, feeling an odd sense of fear wash over her before she reached for it, though, Trunks caught it up. "Hello?" he asked sternly.

"Where are you?!"

Marron's voice screamed and he smiled, "I'm at Pan's," he replied easily and Pan's jaw fell open, "What are you saying?!" she hissed, then her eyes went wide, "She'll show up here, she'll ruin my home," she began and Trunks hung up the phone without another thought. "What am I going to do?" she whispered and he came up behind her and curled supportive arms about her shoulders.

"I'm going to talk to her, you'll stay here and not worry," he said gently and she whipped around her heart speaking out of turn, "You'll leave and never come back," she accused and his eyes widened briefly with a spark of mistrust and he took in a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, "I will come back."

And with that he pulled away from her and she stood there broken. She felt her tears well and heard him open the door before he paused to look back at her, walked to her, kissed her forehead and prayed she'd be here waiting only one more time.

And then he was gone like the last time Marron begged him to see her.

Marron had been their downfall before and she knew she'd be it again as her knees buckled and she cried.

Pan hadn't noted when her eyes had drifted to sleep, or when the pounding on her front door finally woke her as she lifted herself from her living room floor and she walked numbly to the front door letting it open, "Y-yes?" she groused.

Eric stood before her panting and she stiffened, "What are you doing here?" she whispered quickly, now wide awake and he caught up her hand, "You're coming with me, I have a feeling Marron's done something wrong," he said and pulled her alongside of him.

She dragged her down the stairs and she shook her hand free, "Eric where are we going?!" she demanded suddenly and shook her head, "I'm not even dressed!" she exclaimed. His wide eyes pleaded with her, "Marron took Nitro out of my medicine cabinet!" he snapped and she frowned, "What does that have to, omigod," she said suddenly.

She was going to poison Trunks and then she ran at Eric, "Your car," she began and he caught her upper arm pulling her towards it, "Get in," he ordered. She slipped in looked at the clock and stiffened, "I've been asleep for eight hours," she whispered, "He's been gone for eight hours?" she asked softly and Eric frowned as his zipped his car out of the parking garage, "He's been gone?"

Her eyes met his, "He left the wedding to come see me, he'd been with me ever since, he left at noon," she murmured, "It's been eight hours," she repeated again, "With his being half Saiyan his blood should fight the Nitro, but Marron would know that, she would give him a double dose to harm him, Eric we have to hurry, Medicine is slows in our bloodstreams, he may still be fine and doesn't know she's done something."

Trunks sat at the empty restaurant with Marron as she begged and cried, it'd been like this for four hours. He hadn't gone immediately to her side, rather instead went to his mother and told her of what happened and found her to be ecstatic with his rather brash decisions.

But as the blonde before him begged and pleaded with him to stay he rolled his eyes and finally saw her for the pathetic word winder she was. He looked down at his watch and craned his neck before looking at her with a sigh, "Marron I'm not going to apologize or excuse myself, but Pan is waiting on me."

And with that he downed his wine he'd let sit there for the time passing though gentle sipping at it while he'd been there and quite suddenly her cried cease to exist and he arched a brow, "What?" he asked standing and then he felt a hard wave of exhaustion hit him like a slug from a gun.

"If I can't have you than she can't either," Marron spat. And suddenly he felt his head fly, he looked at the wine and knew then she'd placed something in it. He struggled to keep standing, Marron grinned and he stumbled for the front door. "No one is here," she groused as he looked and found a large man behind her smiling, "You want me to dump him?" he asked and she shook her head, "Never, he's married to me by court's law, he'll have to live with that."

Trunks stood then and turned to the door. "You won't make it far!" she yelled and he suddenly heard Pan's voice. "Trunks!" Marron's eyes went wide and she frowned, "What're you-"

Pan stormed right over to her and smacked a hand across her face with a loud crack, "You whore!" she insulted and Marron's jaw hung open from the numbing pain in her face. Pan turned back to Trunks, saw him falling to the ground and she placed herself before him.

The man who stood with Marron caught Pan in a hard grasp and suddenly she threw a fist into his gut sending him flying. She walked to him, caught him up by the collar and lifted him high, "If you ever," she bit out, "Come near me or him again I'll kill you."

Her power folded then as she dropped him and Eric called her, "The ambulance is here!" he yelled and she ran back to Trunks. Her eyes widened as he stumbled towards her, "Trunks," she whispered, then as she ran to him, "Trunks!" He stumbled once more and fell and she caught him in her arms, holding him steady, "Trunks, you're alright now, I've got you," she whispered gently as she slowly lowered him to the ground. She held him to her, offering him comfort and something to hold onto. "Just hold on, help is coming."

"Pan...I can't…she put something," he wheezed. She shook her head, "I know, I've got you."

His dead weight fell upon her and she collapsed with him in her arms, she forced him to face her and shook him, "No," she whispered, "You're going to hold on, please," she begged, "Please hold on." He smiled brokenly for her, "Pan, you're beautiful right now," she hushed him, "Save your energy," she whispered and he kissed her then, before collapsing to the ground.

The nurses and ambulance patrol lifted him into the back and Pan didn't notice her tears fell until Eric pulled her close and wiped them away, "He'll be alright," he reasoned and she nodded, "I know."

And as Marron was lead away from the scene Eric guided Pan to his car and helped her inside as they followed the ambulance out.

Friends and family stood around in the lobby when Pan arrived in and when Bura saw her she threw herself at her, crying, "Are you alright?" she demanded and Pan forced a smile, "Yes, very."

Eric came up behind her and curled his jacket about her shoulders, "I'm sure you don't want to be revealed to your family," he reasoned and her eyes widened as the sudden realization that she still stood in only her pajama shirt and underwear cause her face to turn red.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her head and walked off, and she watched him go.

"What was that all about? Why is he here?" Bulma snapped and Pan looked at her, "Eric is now a detective, he'd been with Marron to find if she had been raiding money from Trunks," she explained, "Seems as though she had been."

Bulma scoffed then, "What about Trunks then?" she demanded.

"He'll be find, you're welcome to take him home, he just needs some much needed rest," a Doctor commented as he walked into the lobby and Bulma looked back at Vegeta, "We're tanking him," she ordered.

Trunks felt cold air pulse through his lungs as his eyes opened and he found the green liquid of one of his mother's tanks surrounding him. His eye lids were still heavy but he kept them open seeing blurred forms and heard the door slid up while the liquid drained.

Pan stood before him with a towel and a worried look. She removed the tubes connected to him, pulled at the sensor patches and relieved him of the taping keeping him in.

He suddenly took in a deep breath and didn't know what to tell her, she stood there with wide eyes rimmed with tiredness and red. "Trunks," she whispered and he slipped out of the tank, her arms held him up, kept him steady and his weak eyes found his mother and father running in the room as Goten helped him onto the bed.

Pan's hands never left him as she searched for any bruising, she murmured to Goten and as he nodded Gohan appeared above Trunks and his eyes widened as he went to open his mouth to speak, his words came out in a jumble and Gohan hushed him.

Why was Gohan here? The man hated him, he knew that, and yet his eyes seemed so worried and sincere. His knowing hands massaged worn muscles and pressed into joints that were sore. Pan's worried gaze finally looked at him once more and she grazed a hand along his temple, "Go to sleep," she murmured gently, coaxingly.

When he awoke for the second time he was laying in his old room, the covers tucked around him, and the fan keeping him cool. The Nitro was out of his system he knew that, but his body was still tender from the effects.

Pan sat at the window sleeping, and he sighed, it seemed that was all he caught her doing now, he found her sleeping with her head on his chest the day before, in the other chair while reading a book and now, in front of the window looking out upon the city.

He eased himself to sit up and the door opened, he found Goku standing in the doorway with a grin as he walked to him and held out a pouch, "Senzu beans, you'll be better in no time now. Then Pan won't have to worry anymore," he reasoned. Trunks smiled for him and nodded reached for them, "Keep it down, she's sleeping," he scolded.

When he swallowed them he winced, never liking the taste of the beans even though they helped tremendously. And he eased out of the bed all too quickly for a human, but fully healed.

He walked to Pan's side, curled his arms around the back of her knees and her back before he lifted her up and set her into the bed and curled into it behind her, she moaned a bit and he pulled her closer giving her the shelter of his body and she rolled over pressing her face into his chest murmuring something incoherent.

He knew he'd be awake before her tomorrow, and he knew then she would leave, she had the pride to hold herself steady and he knew she was preparing herself to walk away from him, but what she didn't know is that this time he'd be there to follow after her.

Trunks felt his eyes creak open and suddenly he panicked, Pan was not in the bed with him, she wasn't in the room and as he searched for her ki she was gone. He shot out of the bed and rushed into the kitchen his eyes wide and frantic.

"Where is she?" he demanded to his mother and she frowned, "Who?"

"Pan," he growled and she shrugged, "She went out for groceries and should be back soon," she murmured and as if on cue the back door opened and Pan walked inside holding at least twenty bags of groceries, "Does Vegeta really eat this much?" she asked and Bulma nodded, "Yep. Same thing for Trunks."

And suddenly Pan's eyes met his and she stiffened, "Trunks," she began and his eyes hardened, her eyes went wider at that look and she cocked a hip putting her hands on her hips, "What is that look for mister?" she demanded, "Don't you dare think that I was gonna-"

And he was on her in moments, he claimed her lips with his own and roughly kissed her. She stiffened, protested and pulled back, "Trunks, you shouldn't," she began to scold him and he pulled 

her close, "I can't wait, I want you back right now, I want you in my home, I want your smile, your laughter, I want your anger and your tears," he listed before he kissed her passionately, "And I don't ever want you to leave me again." He pushed her back onto the table and Bulma's hand caught his shoulder, "Sweetheart, you should probably-"

And within moments he caught Pan's hand and pulled her to him, "Honey, the doctor said you needed to stay here," Bulma began, "I'm fine! I'll be in the pool house," he called and Pan's wide eyes blinked,

"What?"

He dragged her outside with him, pulled her into the small summer home without and without warning, shoved her back against the door pinning her there with his body on hers. "Don't ever leave me," he snarled and then kissed her hungrily. She moaned and he hauled her up, pulling her legs up to wrap around his waist, "Ah, Trunks wait, you're still-"

"I'm fine," he whispered and ground his hips up to hers. Her head fell back and he moaned as her hips rolled against his, it'd been too long. He hadn't touched her in years, and in that time her hips had swollen, her breasts got fuller and he wanted nothing more than to ravage her.

She slipped away from him, pulled him through the only hallway that led to the bedroom. He ran with her, a smile on each of their faces and as she went to fall upon the bed, his strong arms lifted her up and tossed her there, she laughed and he wanted more.

He wanted to hear more of the laughter he had lost when he'd first lost her. He crawled over her like a panther over fresh meat, kissing her bared stomach while pulling her shirt up and over her head. He ripped her bra off, suckled her pert nipples and as her back arched, he curled a firm arm about her tucked in waist and moved against her.

"Trunks," she pleaded, "Please." Her hands pulled at his clothes and he pulled them up over his head and slipped out of his pants without another thought. A strong hand caught the front of her jeans and she shook her head, "Don't you dare-"

The denim gave way under the strenuous pressure pulling on them and he removed the fabric as if it were cotton from her body. She wore nothing underneath showing she had borrowed the clothes, she had waited on him to awake and he pressed his thumb into that small knot of nerves that sent her bucking.

He growled in response, kissed her lips and as her hands cupped his growing erection he hissed, he kissed her and caught her hips pulling her legs up around his hips as he ever so slowly entered her and her back painfully angled.

"Pan," he began and she trembled and locked her legs about him. "I'm alright…it's just been so long," she whispered, "and it's so pleasurably sore," she added. He moved then and had her as if she'd been his all along, and though she always had been he needed to know that she was no longer leaving. He moved and she cried, he cherished her curves and as they reached their climaxes he knew he would never lose her again.

For in fact he'd been unknowing all along, and that she'd always be there patiently waiting on him and now she waited no longer.

(Alright, you may or may not be thinking this, but I wanted to keep you guessing on what ever happened between them earlier on in their lives, but I wanted the reader to come up with their own scenario.)


End file.
